Flying Across the Pond...

It must be summer! We are up and traveling again. Two days ago, we landed in the UK for a two week adventure and our first foray into international travel with the little guy.

No matter how many times I fly with the little man, it is different every time! We booked a late afternoon flight into Detroit and connected to Heathrow from there. 

We spent the morning before our flight at the children's museum in Denver letting off steam. This got us all nice and tired. 

When traveling internationally, if your little one is traveling as an infant in arms, you will need to pay taxes on the trip when you arrive at the airport. This took about 30 min. and the cost is around $300 (you can estimate it as roughly 10% of the ticket cost.) I'm not sure why it takes so much time, but arrive early to account for this. The airline will then issue tickets your your infant in arms child.

In Denver we sought refuge in the USO. (Located in Terminal A near the airline clubs.) They are so wonderful there! We all got a bite to eat and settled into their dark room for H to take a nap. He slept for about 45 min while we charged up all our gadgets. 

H played happily on the flight to Detroit. We had lots of food for him, but he loved the collection of snacks from the flight attendants. He played with the peanuts and pretzels and ate the Biscoff cookies. Our only incident came when my husband attempted to remove the cookie remnants from my sons hands, at which point he totally freaked out. Even with all the toys we brought, little peach preferred the window shade, armrest and buttons on the chair to everything we brought. Since we were in the bulkhead, he was able to stand at our feet and play around. 

We arrived in Detroit with a close connection (due to storms moving across the plains) and got off one plane and right on to the next. While everyone else was boarding, we changed the little guy into his PJ's, read a story, said prayer and he was asleep before we started to taxi. Amazingly, he slept for much of the flight. He woke up several times to reposition and we had to get creative a few times to help him get comfortable. We put a blanket down at the floor and let him sleep at our feet for a bit and I even sat on the floor so that he could sleep in one of the seats! 

When they turned on the lights for breakfast, the little guy woke up and enjoyed three of the breakfast muffins. (We had a very nice flight attendant!) We got him dressed before we landed and let him watch some of the kids TV options as we landed. 

Going through customs was a breeze. A customs officer jumped those of us with little ones to the head of the line, saving everyone some headache. Although the little ones slept, they only got about three hours. Immigration was a breeze, although our car seat came out on a different carousel. 

We chose to bring our own car seat to the UK after much Internet searching and a phone conversation with Britax. We have a Britax Marathon. UK law requires you to have a UK car seat. That being said, everyone I talked to assured me that our carseat was a better option then renting one through the car hire. (The UK law does have an exception for US Military, but only of they are using their US car here.) New cars in the UK have LATCH, although it is called something else and not as well marked as in US vehicles. Britax assured me my rental car would be new enough to have this same system, and sure enough we were able to use the LATCH fasteners and secure the seat. Now lets just hope that my husband remembers what side of the road to drive on.

So so far, so good...right? Well here is the bad news: The first night was terrible. We all passed out around 7:30pm and slept without trouble till about midnight, when Little Peach woke up and thought it was time to get up. It took almost two hours to get him back to sleep -

It eventually took turning on all the lights, having a snack and then going back to bed co-sleeping style. The good news is he woke up smiling and ready to take on the day and we are all now fully acclimated! 

I'm sure I'll have more tips and tricks as we make our way around the island. In the meantime, you can follow us on twitter @ejdn or read about our travel at Out of Edwards. 

Easy, Awesome, DIY Toys!

These are the easiest, most engaging activity items my kid has. I saw a few at the Children's Museum in Atlanta and was inspired.  You don't even need instructions to entertain your child for hours. Take a bottle and fill it with something - literally anything - secure cap, and give to you kid. I filled some bottles with water and food coloring. Today we had a play date at a friend's house who had used popcorn in one bottle and felt balls in another. Genius.

Activity Tubes at Atlanta Children's Museum 

Birthday Party Prep

When Baby Peach turned 10 months i thought it was time to start thinking about his first birthday party! I made a trip to Hobby Lobby for inspiration. (Thanks to major traffic on 25, I missed Stroller Strides and found myself with some extra time. Lemons into Lemonade!)

I won't bore you with the crafty details (you can read those over at Peach Stitches.) I'm pretty excited about planning the party - even though it means my little one won't be so little. In an attempt to put everything I make for the party to use, I'll be using some of the decorations in BP's big boy room.

Here is a photo preview of some of the goods...

Friday Favorite: Books Baby Loves

Photo by Forever Mine Photography

I'm clearly on a book kick. I blame the spring snow. The days are getting longer, but I still have to stay inside. (My Georgia roots make it impossible for me to truly enjoy the snow from anywhere other than inside, under a blanket with a book.) Luckily, my little guy loves to "read" as well. Books are our go to car activity and we spend at least 45 min every day with him finding his favorite books on the low shelf or in the library bag and bringing them to me to read. He loves to flip the pages, sometimes so fast that you can't read all the words and instead are lowered to the level of just making the animal sounds. He also finds books hysterical. He opens them, laughs and slams them shut. I guess it's funny, if you think about it.

Here are the books that are capturing my 11 month old's attention this week:

Noodle Loved Bedtime, Noodle Loves the Farm, Noodle Loves Food....you get the point he loves the Noodle books. In case your wondering, Noodle is a panda bear that loves a lot of things. The books have lots to touch and feel and the last page always has a mirror.

Pat the Bunny by: Dorothy Kunhardt.
Ironically, he jars the page where you pat the bunny. He loves peek a boo with Paul and smelling the flowers....and there is a mirror. He likes that too.

Heads & Tails by: Matthew Van Fleet
These cute books feature animals and their amazing heads and tails. The book has plenty of fun moving pieces that baby peach can't operate on his own yet, but he  thinks it's funny when you do.

Peek-A-Boo Forest
This is his favorite car book. Luckily the rhymes are simple to remember so I can spout them from the front seat as we drive. "Who's hiding behind that spruce?"


Note: A huge thanks to Forever Mine Photography for capturing some of our favorite family moments. Such as reading Pat the Bunny together as a family. 

A Love Letter to My Library

Dear Local Library -

I'm sorry we were apart for so long. I moved to a land far far away (see Out of Edwards), where we lost touch. Then, in August, we were reunited!

I knew we would be fast friends when I was able to choose the design on the front of my freshly laminated library card. I, of course, chose brightly colored hot air balloons.

In those years we were apart, you had grown and changed. Yes, you were still filled with books, but now you had an iPad app so I could check on books from my phone and place them on hold. (A necessity with a wiggly one in tow.) You send books straight to my kindle, audiobooks to my iPad, and three free songs a week!

The events you've planned have dominated my calendar. We started at Baby Time, but soon we were too mobile. We spent a week attending the regular story time - but that was way over our head. That's when we discovered Toddler Time - a wonderful collection of songs and stories with no requirement for sitting still. We've petted dogs (at the library each week for kids to practice reading to) and chickens, built Chinese Dancing Dragons and even fed the ducks behind the Monument branch (just ask at the desk for duck food.)

Just when I thought I couldn't be more attached, I found your collection of board books. Little Peach could hardly contain his excitement as he pulled all the books out of the bin. I've had to place an artificial limit on how many we get each week.

It is not all about Little Peach though. You provided most of the Oscar nominated films for after the baby is asleep date night movies, in addition to some classics and documentaries. I'm slowly winding down my Amazon book wish list filled with cookbooks, chick lit, parenting books and sewing books with each visit.

My husband has even found a few books to read. He is the first to admit his initial attraction was due to your proximity to our local brewery and the promise of a lower Amazon bill, but now he is addicted to your online offerings. He even says your audiobooks make his commute more productive.

Have I mentioned your self check out lanes? Love those. Seriously.

With warmest regards,
- Mama Peach

P.S. if you want to know what I'm reading, head over to Peach Stitches and check the side bar.

PPS. Okay, a few of my fellow bloggers have asked when I have the time to read. I've found more time to read now than ever before - mostly when little peach falls asleep in his car seat, stroller or other inconvenient place. I pull out my book and read!

Unloading all our Library Books! 

Becoming an "Eco-Mama"

I'm a big fan of the webpage Food Renegade, which focuses on eating healthier by getting as close to the source as possible with the foods you eat. I've become increasingly "granola" since having Little Peach (okay, who are we kidding: it all started with the birthing class I took at BiniBirth in LA and solidified by my amazing doula assisted birth, all this much to the chagrin of my mother and the delight of my sister for finally embracing her ways.) Anyway, the blog is not judgy, and provides a good variety of articles on everything from public policy to recipes.

The author of Food Renegade has published a book on eating during pregnancy, breast feeding, baby's first meals and even on possible links to infertility. The book is on Pre-order now on Amazon. If you Pre-order now, she throws in her online nutrition e-course. We are not sponsored by Food Renegade, but I wanted to pass on the word if you think this book might be for you. Once I get my copy, I'll let you know how it is.

If you think this is up your ally, you may also enjoy the following. (If this is not your thing, please stop reading now and feel free to judge my growing crunchy-ness...)

Get Ready to Get Pregnant by Dr. Michael C. Lu

(Please don't read this if you are already pregnant!) Dr. Lu is a leading OBGYN at UCLA who has had great success in reducing pregnancy complications (hypertension, early labor, etc.) through diet and environment changes prior to pregnancy. His current research focuses on extending these practices to eliminate childhood conditions. The book provides information on his studies and easy to follow check lists for changes you can make. His methods are widely used by the UCLA OB's and Midwives including the Dr 's we used for Baby Peach.

Slow Death by Rubber Ducky: The Secret Danger of Everyday Things by Robert Smith

The ultimate book of #firstworldproblems. This is the book that convinced me to give up sulphates in my shampoo and (as much as possible) anything containing the word "parfume." (Mama Bee should not read this book, and neither should those who may become obsessive.) I found this book to be filled with information which I could take and act on and others I chose to completely ignore, because I can't imagine giving a particular product up. If like me, you're an information gatherer, this is a great book to be aware of the chemicals in our lives,

Packing for Baby: The Car

Nothing can ruin a mommy's day like reaching into your diaper bag and realizing you forgot extra diapers, or a snack, or a new toy. I quickly realized I was going to need to keep back-up supplies in the car. This is not only a practical solution, but it also makes my car feel like home base. At the airport, I feel relief when I get to my car - not just when I get home. Plus, with mommy brain you never know what I'm going to forget!

I received a Thirty-One Tote as a baby shower gift. It is the perfect size to fit behind the seat in front of the car-seat. I love that everything is contained (remember I'm Type A) and that I can remove the whole bag for re-packing, cleaning, or date night.

I organize the bag with the most used items (food, toys, wipes) on the top and the lesser used items (rain cover, hats) on the bottom. About once a week, I have to pull the whole bag out of the car and reorganize everything - it also helps me feel less like my car has been taken over by the little one.

Food. Since my little man is quite the eater, I always keep some snack in the car. I keep them near the top since a hungry kid is an emergency. The Munchie Mug Snack Cup is one of my favorite inventions. The soft fabric keeps the stuff from spilling, but lets a hand in. The big handle means Baby Peach can grab on to it even when I am carrying him or he is in the stroller. The Munchie Mug also comes with a separate lid so if it is in my bag, I can seal it up completely. Baby Peach has not quite got the hang of grabbing just a few Cheerios at a time - so it can be a real mess. (Nothing that shaking out the car seat can't fix.) I used to be really worried about Baby Peach choking while I was driving so I stuck to Puffs (a variety of brands available) and Mum-Mumms, which basically melt in his mouth. He has pretty much mastered eating, so I've added GoGoSqueeZ apple sauce pouches and Kashi Cereal Bars to the "car snack" rotation. I keep a plastic bag full of these snacks in the car bag. I also keep a standard Munchkin 8oz sippy cup in the car. Its not our favorite cup, but it works and I wouldn't cry if it got lost.

Diaper Change. The real downside of cloth diapering is traveling. I almost always resort to disposables when we are on a long trip, but even short trips can provide a challenge. My car bag always has a full back of disposable inserts for the clot diapers. This way if I forgot to pack an extra insert (we used Flips) or we go through more then expected I can stay with the cloth diapers. I also keep a few disposable diapers in the car, because sometimes the cover becomes soiled and I don't have another. I also find you can never have too many diaper wipes or too many hand wipes, so an extra package of each of those go in the bag as well.

Comfort Items.  I have a collection of items I keep in the bag designed to make Baby Peach or myself more comfortable regardless of unanticipated weather changes. A small lap quilt, which I have used for sitting on, nursing, playing peek-a-boo and providing shade. A small first aid kit from Medibuddy. A Balboa Baby Shopping Cart and High Chair Cover, which we use so much I ended up buying a second one for our other car. I also have a plastic bag full of extras - socks, cloth drool bibs, onesies, pants and t-shirt for mom. A plastic bag full of seasonal items - winter hat, mittens, sun hat, sunglasses, sunscreen and any other item that I may need to sub in or out of my diaper bag. I also keep a rain cover for the stroller. (I used to keep this rain cover in the house, but then I never had it when I needed it - this way rain doesn't dampen our plans.)

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 Toys. The most used item in the car bag is the small bag of toys. I use a reusable shopping bag to corral all the car toys. I can pull out the whole bag to bring it with me if needed, and it makes cleaning up the toys a snap. (Baby Peach throws the toys, so they end up all over the car.) The toy bag is easily reachable, so I can grab something new and hand it over, if necessary. I change out the toys in the car with the exception of this little cell phone toy (and another phone toy). This thing can provide hours of entertainment and is a real crowd pleaser.

Obviously the items will continue to change as Baby Peach gets older, but curtailing his mess to one bag sure makes my car seem somewhat organized.

Taking Time For Me

One of the hard things, for me, about being a stay at home mom has been finding "me" time. I've approached being a mom just like I approach a work project - keep at it till it's done right. The problem here is that it's never done; there is always more laundry, more toys, and more things to do with baby.

A few weeks ago, I realized it had been a long time since I did something just for me. (I do drag Baby Peach to my daily exercise class, but that feels like a necessity!) I felt like a mess - my last pedicure was in November, my last massage was when I was pregnant, and I am in terrible need of a new hair style. When I expressed this to my amazing husband, he told me to schedule a haircut or nails or whatever I needed - no problem. The thing is, I always felt like there was something more important to do. I finally realized I would feel better about myself if I took a little time away for myself. Sure enough, after just going to get my hair blown out for family photos, I felt amazing. I had renewed patience for Baby Peach and the boys got some quality one-on-one time. Lesson Learned. An hour away makes me feel awesome and makes me a better mom.

This week I headed out to the Department of Aeronautics Spouses Group Painting Party. What a treat to spend some time working on a painting (I love being crafty), chatting with the girls and having a glass of wine. I feel ready to take on the week!

What are you doing for yourself this week?

Friday's Favorite: Books about Baby

I had hoped my mom visiting would mean some down time to get some blogging done... Those of you that know me will not be surprised that I actually used the time to play tour guide. I promise to update you on traveling with a little one, but first I want to know your favorite books to prepare for baby. Here are mine: 

Pregnancy:

Girlfriends Guide to Pregnancy - Provides real details about what your going to encounter, from sleepless nights and swollen ankles to all the dirty details about post-labor. The use of "girlfriend" and reminding you that pregnancy is actually 10 months can get annoying, but the information is exactly what your best friend would tell you.

Recording Your Pregnancy:

The Belly Book - Cute with the right amount of writing prompts and plenty of spaces for pictures.

What to Buy:

Baby Bargains - This is a must have if you need to make any large purchases. Each product section has a nice breakdown based on how much you want to spend.  The webpage can also be quite helpful.


Those First Weeks:

Happiest Baby on the Block - LOVE this book. You probably don't need to own it, so check it out from your local library. (There is also a movie, if it is more your thing.) This is exactly what they teach nurses and it works... if you follow through on all the steps.

Best All-around:

 Brain Rules for Baby -  Amazing book that describes what baby's brain is doing and what you can do to help development at each stage. It is so well written you won't even realize how much information you are gathering.

Worst Flight Ever ( When Traveling With An Infant Goes Wrong)

After participating in yet another Facebook conversation about traveling with a baby, I feel it is time to share my story of infant travel gone wrong.

We survived our flights to and from Puerto Rico without incident. Baby Peach was a dream, spending some time playing and some time sleeping. It was the late afternoon flight from Atlanta back to Denver where it all fell apart. Bad, we had been upgraded. Worst, due to turbulence, we could not leave our seats. Baby Peach screamed, refused to nurse and finally reached "brain fried" where there is little you can do.

The bottom line is that it was bound to happen sooner or later - with 12 flights under his belt, Baby Peach was bound to have a bad day. I'm honestly glad it happened, because now it's under our belt.

Here is how we handled it:

1. We were overly apologetic to everyone. This even got us an apology from the man in front of us, who said, "I'm so sorry I keep glancing back. I know you are doing every thing you can, so please don't worry."

2. As soon as the seatbelt sign came off we took Baby Peach into the bathroom. These rooms are basically soundproof, so it will buy you some time. There is also a bathroom mirror, which thankfully calmed the little one down - he loves to look at himself!

3. Remain calm. This was not our strong suit on this flight. The added stress of being in first class really threw us for a loop. Papa Peach and I got defensive, and at some point, I outright blamed him for Baby Peach's behavior. Then we took a beat. Papa Peach cracked a joke and we relaxed and instantly the situation got better. The crying seems much louder to you then to the other passengers and the more flustered you get, the more flustered the baby will get. Remember, the jet noise drowns out a lot!

4. Once we were all calm again I was able to use a blanket to set up a little tent where Baby Peach could nurse and it was dark. This meant that he finally fell asleep. A state he remained in until we landed.

5. As one of my more experienced mom friends pointed out on the Facebook discussion - never underestimate the power of giving the baby to dad. People seem to be much more tolerant of a screaming baby in the arms of a dad then a mom. It's not fair, bit it is what it is. So hand that screaming baby over to dad. My boys found their way into the hearts of all the flight attendants - male and female. Baby Peach got a set of wings, a bag of Sunchips and my husband got a glass of wine.

Finally, A Sleeping Baby. 

I firmly believe the key to success is setting the bar really low. In most cases, my bar for traveling with the baby is to survive the flight. I prepare for the worst case and 90% of the time I am pleasantly surprised - the other 10% gives me something to blog about.

Friday's Favorite: Aps

I know the APA says that children under two should have limited to no screen time. I do my very best to not have the TV on when Baby Peach is around. I also try really hard not to use the iPad or iPhone as a toy, but, desperate times... the last 20 min of Stroller Strides, when I'm waiting in the checkout line and basically any time on the plane. So in that spirit, I present my favorite applications for my 10 month old and I ask that you don't judge me.

GAMES
1. iTot - flash cards that play animal noises, show objects and have several language options. A touch to the screen repeats the word and Baby Peach quickly figured out how to side swipe between cards.

2. Peek A Boo Barn - an animal makes a noise from behind the barn doors, tap the doors and they open. A child's voice (or you can record your own voice) says the name of the animal and you hear the noise again. Tap the barn doors again to close and get a new animal. I enjoy the setting in this game that allows you to go through each animal once and then the game ends.

3. Elmo Calls - baby can FaceTime with Elmo. A short video plays with Elmo doing something silly. Since we do a lot of FaceTime with family, Baby Peach is really into "playing FaceTime" and he finds these short Elmo vignettes quite amusing.

PARENTING
1. Baby Tracker - allows you to track diapers, feedings, and sleep. You can have it on multiple devices and set alerts so if your babysitter changes a diaper, you can be alerted on your device. I love the feature that shows your daily schedule as a graph - this was most helpful for learning baby's schedule.

2. Baby Monitor - when traveling I can turn my iPhone and iPad into a video monitor. This app has two settings. The first one is a video monitor that is on all the time, the second one will video or audio call when the baby makes noise for more then a set amount of time (5, 10 or 20 seconds.) This is perfect for when we are away from home.

I would love suggestions for other apps you find helpful. I plan to rely heavily on the iPad for our flight to London. I have hears Yo Gabba Gabba and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse are winners but haven't yet checked them out.

My Travel Crib Saga

First, let me say that I hope no one perceives my quest for the perfect sleeping solution while we travel as (a) bragging or (b) complaining. I am an information gatherer by nature, and have to get lots of info before I feel satisfied in a decision. (You can just ask Ma' Chauffeur and she can tell you the in-depth conversations we have over text about EVERYTHING!) I feel so blessed that we are able to travel as much as we do. I owe most of that to my amazing husband.

Since I was unable to gather the information I wanted online, I turned to my trusty mom friends on Facebook. Here is the summary of the advice.

1. The Pack n' Play is much too large to take to Europe. We have the Grayco travel play yard - which is the lightest of the series, but it's still quite bulky. Many moms were concerned that it would be too large when opened for many of Europe's small B&B's.

2. The Baby Bijorn is the top-rated travel crib by Baby Bargains and a few other sites. While it comes in around 11 lbs, it folds up like another suitcase. It is bound to take up valuable room in our rental car and other forms of transportation we may need to use.v

3. Kids either love or hate the PeaPod - and it may have some recall issues. I'm currently trying to get my hands on one to try it out and see how Baby Peach does with it. It is certainly the lightest of the options, but may not curtail my active kid.

4. Jury is still out on the Phil &Ted's travel cot. I found one person who has used it, and a bunch of mixed reviews on Amazon.

5. The best suggestion, though, is going to be our back-up plan. If all else fails, train the baby to sleep in the bed with us before the trip. It's the cheapest of the options.

I was able to procure the Phil & Teds travel cot, and I think it's our big winner. Although the official dimensions are the same as our travel pack n' play, it is quite smaller and much lighter.  (See Comparison Photos) When packed into its bag, it will easily fit into our rolling duffel. The online reviews say it's hard to put together, but I had no trouble. I had no directions and it took me about 20 min. Now that I've seen it together once, I'll be able to do it in 5min.

I'll have to get back to you on how Little peach likes sleeping in it, but he has enjoyed playing in it. It has a side and top zipper, so I will be able to zip him completely into the bed.

*Update 2/23/12* So far Little Peach is a fan of the Phil and Teds Sleeper. I bought mine used, but just found this one on Zulily today.

Take a look at this phil&teds Black Traveller on Zulily.com today - it will be there till Wednesday (while supplies last!)

http://www.zulily.com/invite/enewcamp260/p/traveller-black-30512-2537213.html?tid=social_sms_iphone_shareviaicon_na_modal_81d3df7c94ef103a2f585ba338f5a92f&pid=2537213

Friday's Favorite: Bottles & Sippy Cups

Baby Peach boycotted the bottle pretty much from Month Four on, so I have no strong opinions on bottles. I do, however, have an opinion on sippy cups. Since Baby Peach started using one, I have been searching for the perfect cup, which means (a) he can use it on its own and (b) it limits spills. I finally found one: The Safe Sippy2. The cup has handles, which means H can use it. It has a choice of a straw or a sippy valve (we use the straw so he doesn't have to tilt the cup back) and it has a replacement valve that keeps it from spilling when we are on the go. It can be a bit annoying to have to replace the valve when I travel, but I have been unable to find a cup that doesn't spill... so this is a winning combination for us.

Friday's Favorite Thing: Travel Accessory

I went walking with a dear friend this morning. (We will call her Mrs. Orange, as she hails from California and was stationed there with us). Mrs. O just found out she will be expecting Baby O in September. Inspired by our discussion, I thought a run down of favorite baby items each Friday might help her with her registry.

Mr & Mrs. O love to travel. They love heading back to CA whenever they can and are always out on an adventure. I am a true believer that you can still travel even when you have a baby - it's just different. My favorite travel accessory is the ERGO CARRIER. I love this sucker. It is comfortable and I can take Little Peach with me everywhere I go: I use it in stores, hiking and even around the house to get some work done. Mr. Peach finds it quite comfortable as well. I have figured out how to nurse while wearing it  - which makes airports and other adventures a bit easier. (It's a bit of a feat though!)

Ok... I couldn't just list one. I'm also in love with our Inglesina 2012 travel high chair. It puts Little Peach on our level and clips to everything, thanks to arms that screw instead of clamp. (We have even had it fit on a picnic bench and a bar!)

Alright... lets give Mrs. O a nice little list of favorite travel things!

Subscription Boxes: Citrus Lane vs. Stork Stack (and a link to Little Fox Give Away)

Subscription Boxes seem to be all the rage right now. I love the idea of getting products in the mail every month. I've been getting a Citrus Lane box for a few months. Honestly, some months I love the box, and others I feel so-so about.

The customer service has been wonderful. One month we accidentally got a girls box, they quickly replaced the items with non-pink items. I contacted several times to make sure I was satisfied with the change.

The only con is that sometimes I am happier with the box items than other months, but that is also part of the fun!

Here is a sample of what is in this months box:

January Box Contents:

Skip Hop Zoo Lunchbox - insulated, BPA and phthalate-free plus it is adorable. It is just the right size to hold goodies for Baby Peach. I love that the handle has a clip so I can easily attach it to the diaper bag or my lunch box.

Soothing Cream and trial size body wash from Episencial - it's sent free and has quickly become my go to hand cream. I haven't tried it on baby yet, since we don't put lotion on him yet.

Yum Yum Baby Cookies from Ella's - I love the food items that come in the box. They seem to be excellent teething biscuits. They contain a bit of sugar though so I probably won't be buying more for the little one. (If I give him sugar it's going to be from home baked goodies!)

To-Go Disinfectant Spray from CleanWell - this is the puzzling item for me in this months box. I've got it in the diaper bag, but haven't really decided where I should use it.

Bear About Town from Barefoot Books - the books have been one of my favorite items in the Citrus Lane Box and this one is no different. It has a simple plot line and adorable pictures.

I also enjoy that there is always a promo code for each item in the box in case you want more products. The code typically gives you 20-25% off.

Little Peach's favorite part is certainly the box and tissue paper!

If you read the comments from Mama Bee's post on the Stork Stack post you will know I tired one of those in February. I did not like the ingenuity of the products as much as the ones in the Citrus Lane Box. I think I may have just caught them on an off month for us though so I will try another month. I had a similar problem with receiving a girls item, this time baby legs. Stork Stack is having me return the item and then they will ship out a new pair. I was able to handle this by entirely by e-mail, although I will have to make a trip to the post office to mail them back.

Finally, the folks over at Mommy and Me Giveaways are giving away monthly packs from Little Fox, yet another monthly subscription service. You can enter their give away here: http://mommyandmegiveaways.com/?p=10255#comment-13842

Carseat Safety Labels

It something no one wants to think about: what happens to your baby if something happens to you. A friend was recently in a car accident that rendered her unconscious - with her little one in the backseat! Luckily, everyone was fine. Thanks to some prior planning, the paramedics were able to get in contact with friends that were able to come take care of the baby.

Since we are away from family, I've been lining up Emergency Contacts in the area and making sure all our base forms have the right information. (If you have your child in any sort of daycare program, you will want to make sure you have names besides you and your partner on the pick up list - just in case.) This is even more important given deployments and TDY's - having a plan for when your partner is out of town.

I was browsing Pinterest and found these great labels on Oops I Craft My Pants. You print the labels on label paper and stick them to your car seat. I've also put one in the diaper bag. http://www.oopsicraftmypants.net/2012/08/car-seat-emergency-contact-printables.html?m=1

Please take a second and print these out. I sincerely hope you will never have to use them, but if anything ever happens, you will be glad you did.

Teething Remedies: Frozen Breastmilk

I read this post on Rookie Moms, suggesting using frozen breastmilk to sooth teething pain. Little Peach had his two front teeth come in on Christmas Eve. He was miserable. I was willing to try anything. Amazingly, rubbing the frozen breastmilk on his gums calmed him down enough to get him to sleep - which really is the best medicine. (This is a particularly good use for the store of breastmilk in my freezer, since H has boycotted the bottle since month 6.)

Hope this little trick works for you. You can also hop on over to Rookie Moms for a few more tricks.

Feeding Baby like an Adult

Baby Peach has decided he is ready to eat "big boy" foods. We had a nice stint of making our own baby food, grinding up what we were eating. But no more! This kid wants to feed himself. He wants to eat exactly what the adults are eating. On our trip to Puerto Rico, he loudly demanded samples from everyone's plate - even people we didn't know.

I want to encourage him to keep exploring different foods, so I've been digging to find options for meals we can all share. My husband has found a passion for cooking, so finding things we can make in advance means he can cook it when he has time (and it saves me meal prep time when Baby Peach is hungry!)

I thought I would share a few gems I found. As always, I'm always looking for new ideas - so please share your favorites!

Weelicious.com
Tyler Florence's Fresh Start
Cooking for Baby
The Baby & Toddler Cookbook

It's a complete mess, letting a nine month old go crazy with food, but he loves it!

Swim Lessons and Other Baby Activities

Happy New Year!

It's cold here in Colorado. Probably colder than anywhere else I've ever lived - our lows in 2013 have all been in the single digits. But I like to try to get out of the house with the little one every day.

I'm a huge fan of Stroller Strides. It has helped me make friends, get out of the house, and loose the baby weight. I seriously love getting to spend workout time with my baby. In the scheme of things, though, Stroller Strides is mommy time (although they do have play groups).

With the cold temps, I needed a get out of the house, baby fun time, activity. I found Donna's Dolphins through recommendations from friends. The 30 min parent-child swim class is a great way to get out of the house, meet new people, and have some fun with baby. Little Peach loves the water, so I knew it would be a big hit.

Today's lesson was great. The class has four other parent-child pairs and has a quick pace to keep the kids entertained. The water is bath temperature, so everyone is comfortable. We practiced blowing bubbles, kicking, putting our head under, and floating on our backs. Little Peach did great, until they put them all in a little boat and he tried to jump out to get back to me. We may have some separation anxiety issues! Anyway, it was a great time and we are signed up to continue through February.

I also had a conversation with Mama Dream about loving The Little Gym. They offer a free trial class - we will be looking into that for the future. We've also got our free Gymboree Class on the schedule for a weekend trial.

What sort of classes or activities have you tried with your little ones?

I also wanted to share this great article from the Colorado Springs Little Gym Blog about kids throwing a fit during classes. The first time it happened to me at Stroller Strides, I was mortified. We survived though. This really put it in perspective for me, although it didn't stop that tunnel vision, ear ringing thing that happens. Check it out here: http://www.thelittlegym.com/coloradospringsco/pages/blog.aspx?BlogID=11

A Peach Family Christmas

Mama Cowgirl blogged about her Christmas Traditions, which got me thinking. I've been seeing lots of Pinterest pins on fun (new to us) traditions from Elf on the Shelf to decorating the kids doors with streamers. With H being so little, it is sort of a bonus year - we can try things out and see what we want to keep. We are headed out of town for the actual Christmas Day, so Sunday we will be having a "Peach Family Christmas."

Here is a look at a few things we tried  this year as a family of three.

Visiting Santa & his Reindeer. Our first attempt to see Santa at Small Town Christmas in Monument, Co  did not go well. Little Peach was overtired and we didn't even get close. We are going to try again this weekend at the Zoo. We have had two great visits with reindeer. The first was at the Festival of the Trees in  Erie, PA and the second was at Small Town Christmas in Monument. The boys (Daddy Peach, Little Peach and a few of our friends' husbands) met Dancer and Prancer, while the ladies peaked in a few of the shops.  What can I say? Our little man loves animals.

Cutting down our own tree in Pike National Forest. (Information on Permits and can be found on the  US Forest Service Webpage.)

Tree Trunk Ornament to commemorate cutting down our own tree.
(Easiest craft ever - mostly because Daddy Peach did all the work. Directions can be found here.)

Salt Dough Ornaments. I may use a different dough recipe next year that is heartier. I did love pressing little Peach's hand into the dough. We also did a print of our key. Here is the recipe I used this year.







Our Travel Ornament Collection. As I posed on Mama Cowgirls post, it is so fun to decorate the tree and remember all the fun trips we have taken over the years. Here are just a few of our favorite ornaments.

We are Texas residents!  

Cable Car from a Christmas Spent in San Francisco and the Sydney Opera House from our Honeymoon. 

I lobster Maine- from a combo wedding -Acadia National Park Trip. 

One of my favorite things about Christmas is going to peoples homes and seeing all the ornaments on peoples trees. A few of  you commented that you also have ornament collections. I would love to see pictures!