toys for the first year

as my baby girl's first birthday approaches, i have found myself sucked into hours of perusing the internet for toy ideas for her. as i've mentioned before, i put a lot of thought into toys, thanks in part to my montessori background. but like most moms, i simply have a desire to provide quality, safe, developmentally-appropriate toys for my child. the challenge is finding such toys! the toys that can be found in the typical chain store tend to be much too plastic-y, electronic-y, and made in china-y for my taste (though i admit, you can sometimes find some hidden gems). smaller, independent shops, which i would rather support anyway, offer some more unique options, though usually only a small selection. thankfully the internet offers many wonderful online shops, such as nova naturals, willow tree, rosie hippo, and many indpendent toy makers on etsy. but even with these wonderful resources, we still face one challenge: becoming overwhelmed. what does my child really need?

this is one reason why i love reading blogs...they can be a fantastic way to get some non-biased, seasoned advice. i have gleaned some great tips and ideas from other blogging mamas, and in return, i'd like to offer a list of some toys that my little one has gotten lots of fun, meaningful, good use out of during her first year of life...
{haba pipapo}

{geomags}

{manhattan toy put & peek doghouse}

{under the nile veggies}

{plan toys shape & sort it out box}

{lamaze mortimer the moose}

{baby einstein baby's photo book}

{sensory balls}

{madame alexander huggums baby doll}

{cookie dough pull toy}

{wee baby art cards}

my list of book recommendations really needs to be saved for a separate post...but i have included these two here:
{old macdonald finger puppet book}

{dotty dog stroller book}

and finally...yes, it's fisher price, yes it's plastic and electronic, yes it's probably made in china...but what can i say, my little girl loves it...
{fisher price fun-2-learn cell phone}

of course, a cabinet chock full of dishware and cookware; a cardboard box; any book (including mom and dad's magazines and novels); a door; and our dog trumps all these toys put together!

i'd love to hear what toys you would recommend, either for the first or second year...or beyond!

a day in the life...

...of a toddler does not have to be full of power struggles and mom constantly picking up piles of toys and other messes. really! take a look at this video, "edison's day," that meg posted today. this is a half-hour long glimpse into the day of a 20-month-old being raised in a montessori-inspired environment. it gives some great ideas on how to set up your home and gently guide your child along the road to independence. and sweet little edison just melts my heart...
Edisons Day -

a blessing and a curse

the internet is a curse. and a blessing. for everyone. especially parents.

i have discovered this throughout this past year - or actually longer than that, as it really started during my pregnancy.

there is so much information on this here internet, and this is in itself both wonderful and overwhelming. it takes time and dedication to sift through all the information out there to find what is factual, helpful, and in line with your own set of values and beliefs.

i am, of course, grateful for the internet in many ways - not only as a source of information, but also as the main reason that i have been able to stay at home with my little one while still managing to make a few bucks. and as a stay-at-home mom, the world of blogs - which i knew nothing about before becoming a mom - can be a way to identify with other like-minded mamas, or it can a source of inspiration, or on some long days, a connection to the outside world. this blog world does have its dark side, though...hours can be easily sucked away if you are not careful...

in any case, i wanted to share with you some parenting websites and blogs that i have found to be helpful in my journey so far. on the right, you will see a link list titled "mama resources." i've started with a list of some places that i currently find helpful, and will add and rotate as i discover new ones. i'd love to hear about any that you would suggest!

and by the way, many thanks to born on earth moms for such a nice post today!

music for your - and your little one's - ears

in the world of music, there are endless fantastic options to offer to a child...from the classic children's musicians like raffi and pete seeger to typically 'adult' music like the beatles and james brown (a personal favorite of my babe).

although basically any music is enjoyable for children to hear...as well as it is beneficial for them to hear lots of different genres...here are a few albums that are current staples in our home...

{elizabeth mitchell's you are my little bird is full of sweet songs, easy to learn and pleasant to listen to during playtime or wind-down time}


{taj mahal always makes me feel warm and safe, like i'm kicking back on the bayou with some old friends. his songs for the young at heart offers the same comfortable feel, with some great selections that kids will enjoy as well}

{classical music is a wonderful way to instill a sense of calm and relaxation. the mozart effect offers a fantastic series of cd's that are catered to different times of day or needs - from playtime to nighttime to inspiring creativity to easing a sick body}

{i love world music, mostly because it makes me feel like i am off exploring a different culture somewhere. putumayo makes the most fantastic compilations of world music for kids, categorized by region or presented as a mix of songs from all over the globe. this fun music is excellent for introducing rhythm, new instruments, and foreign languages}

{who can resist reggae music? not only do the tropical beats give a sense of a carefree, worry-free attitude, it is also very appealing to a child's ears. we listen to a lot of reggae in our house, but for every - and i mean every sleeptime, our baby listens to rockabye baby bob marley. we take it with us when we are traveling, and whether we are in the car or in a strange hotel room, olivia's eyes widen and her body relaxes when we start this cd}

i'd love to know, what are the musical essentials in your home?

toy story

well, i guess most of you out there are as clueless as i am when it comes to photography...'cause i only got one comment response to my plea for camera advice (thanks, sydney!) so just so ya'll know...i have this nifty little device on my blog that lets me know how many hits i receive...so i know you're reading! how 'bout a little comment love, people?

 

anyhow, moving on. above you will see a glimpse of my 9-month-old baby's room. in the wake of the toy bonanza that is the holidays with children, i thought i'd talk a bit about my approach to the home play/learning environment. so upon returning home from our holiday festivities, i was excited to put out all of olivia's new toys. i then almost as quickly decided that i was taking most of them away. not away for good, just away in her bedroom closet where i can easily access them and rotate.

 

rotating materials and having just a few items out at a time is one of the aspects of the montessori education philosophy. now, just a little preface: although my background and training is in montessori, i don't - and have never - strictly adhere to all of montessori's standards. i prefer to educate myself on all sorts of educational theory and take from each what suits me - or more importantly, my child - best. but the idea of rotating toys i definitely agree with. having too many toys out at once is overwhelming and overstimulating for a young child. plus, when you rotate the toys, you keep them interested without having to constantly buy new toys. the parent can rotate the toys and surprise the child with something new on the shelf or in the basket, or the child can be a part of the process, choosing from the 'storage basket' what to put out in the 'play basket.'

 

another montessori concept is the notion of having natural toys. ideally this means wooden, fabric, and handmade. now, i definitely prefer these sorts of toys for many reasons, including that they are usually not made in china, are more attractive and feel better in your hands than plastic, and more closely resemble the real world. and it would be wonderful if i had the money and time to buy and make only the highest quality, natural toys for my baby. but, this just isn't the reality. neither is the fact that she has received, and will continue to receive, toys from loving and well-meaning friends and family that don't necessarily fit this natural-toy criteria. i feel that if a toy is given as a gift or a hand-me-down, it would be ungrateful and wasteful to not only accept these toys but to use them with love and appreciation. most toys, plastic or not, are still made with some developmental aspect in mind. plus, as with anything, if i were to 'ban' plastic toys from my child's life, then she will likely just be more and more drawn to only plastic toys in the future. so. my intention is that the toys that i myself purchase for my children will be of the natural, handmade variety - which means my money will go towards one or two special items instead of three or four less expensive ones - quality over quantity, a good concept in my opinion. but as far as what she may receive from others, or what she may desire at points in the future - not going to be outlawing any of these things. and so one of the cornerstones of my personal philosophy emerges: everything in moderation.

and finally, one of the other aspects of montessori education is that the child learn a basic three-part sequence in their playtime or worktime: choose an item from the shelf, use it for as long as desired, and return it as found to the same spot on the shelf. my babe is well on her way with the first two steps. however, as you can see below, the third is going to take a few years to perfect...

baby gear 101...part 3

in honor of international babywearing week, i thought i'd spend a little time talking about the many options of the wonderful and precious art of babywearing. when i was pregnant, i spent probably a month or more obsessing over finding the perfect baby carriers for my little one. i researched, cross-referenced, stalked chat rooms. i ended up with way more baby carriers than i now need or use (not to mention an i told you so sort of reaction from dear hubby). but in my own defense, it's difficult to know what you will end up using until you can test them with the real deal. i think that every baby and mama will have their own needs and preferences. so, i am going to offer some advice on what i found worked well for us, and i'll also try and give a few other options for you to consider for your own self as well.

 

the photo above shows my husband (with baby at her very first farmer's market) wearing a peanut shell sling. i think our daughter was probably a month old here. this was a nice sling when she was very tiny as she really did just fit in there like a little peanut. i was nervous at first that she was too "bent up" and wouldn't be able to breathe, but she of course was just fine, and in fact, quite cozy as all she really did in there was sleep!

one of the downsides to this type of sling is that it hurts your back if you wear it to walk around a lot, probably because of the uneven distribution of weight. it is nice around the house, though, especially when the little one is fussy and your arms need a break. this sling also comes in handy when the baby is around 4-5 months and is starting to sit on your hip. other popular brands for this type of sling are hotslings and new native.

 

the nifty little wrap that you see above is a gypsy mama. this is essentially just a really large piece of fabric that you can wrap around you in all sorts of ways. you can wear your baby on your front facing in, on your front facing out, on your back...i believe there is even a way to wear two babies with this thing! it is very similar to the moby wrap, which i hear wonderful things about, but as i live in a warm climate i decided to go with the lighter-weight gypsy mama. the fabrics are from bali and are beautiful. the gauze wraps are the lightest weight, but i went with the bali baby stretch. the stretch wraps are apparantly easier for the novice baby wearer as they are easier to wrap and are more "poppable" - meaning that once you have it on, you can put your baby in and out of it a few times without having to take the wrap off and rewrap each time. didymos wraps are another option for this genre.

 

this is my current favorite baby carrier. it is a mei tai and mine is from baby hawk. through baby hawk you have endless options to customize your own carrier, including a ton of amy butler fabrics - so cute. or, if you'd like to make your own, sew liberated has an adorable pattern available here. this carrier can also be worn on your front or back, and is just so easy and comfortable. both me and my little one love it.

we have also recieved an ergo, which we plan to use once we live back in the mountains and start taking the little one on hikes. for now, we've just used it a bit around the house, and it seems very user-friendly and comfy from what i can tell so far.

you have likely heard of the baby bjorn - we recieved one of these as a hand-me-down and our own personal experience is that it feels a little stiff and awkward to us. but i know a lot of people love them, so they are worth checking out. i also know a lot of mamas who love ring slings. my own mama made me one, using this pattern, and she said it was very easy to make. however, the fabric that we chose ended up not being strong enough, so i didn't feel comfortable using it. so my advice is: get some good, sturdy fabric and you are good to go.

so have fun looking around and making your decisions! the upside to having more carriers that you need is that there is a good market for them right now, so they have pretty decent resale value. or you can hang on to them and start a babywearing group in your area, so other mamas-to-be can try out and learn how to use the different carriers. i love how many mamas i see these days wearing their babies. it's such an intimate bond with your baby, and as supporters of attachment parenting know, it can have lifelong benefits for both you and your child.

baby gear 101...part 2

 

inspired by a dear friend (that would be you, jz), today i thought i would focus on the early days of breastfeeding. i am certainly no expert, so i'm just going to offer a little advice based on my own experiences and challenges.

if you choose to breastfeed, this is the very first activity that you will engage in with your child (beyond the cuddling upon your initial meeting!) many experts suggest that you attempt the first feed within the first hour after birth. hopefully you will have someone with you who can help make sure that the baby is latching on correctly. whether you are lucky enough to have someone to help you or not, i also recommend having dr. sears' breastfeeding book and the nursing mother's companion on hand.

in the first few days, it will seem like your baby is nursing all the time - because they are! they are not getting much at this point, but it is necessary for them to nurse so that they can get the hang of it and so that your milk will come in. (side note: i was told that a great way to help with milk production is to drink a dark beer a day for the first 2 weeks. um, yes please.) though this constant nursing is vital, it is not always the most pleasant experience for the new mama. this was my personal breastfeeding challenge - the pain. oh, the pain. there were times i was in tears even before putting my little one on, knowing how much it was going to hurt. my mom was with me, reassuring me that the pain would go away, that in six weeks it would magically disappear. six weeks?!?! there was no way i could fathom dealing with the pain for that long. i was convinced that something was wrong. i went to a la leche league meeting hoping they could 'cure' me but they said that everything looked perfect. perfect?!?

well, it turns out that my mom was right - in a month the pain was significantly better, in six weeks - totally gone. in fact, much like labor pain, i can't even remember what that pain was like now. but in the meantime, here are some products that really helped me:

soothies: these cooling gel pads are awesome. keep them on at all times except for when actively feeding your baby.

breast shells: i was so sore that even the slightest brush of my shirt killed. put these on as a barrier to protect those sensitive puppies.

lansinoh: apply this cream to help heal faster when you get cracked and blistered. and most importantly, go without a bra and shirt whenever possible. yes, that's right. walk around topless as much as you can. air drying is the best treatment.

once you get past the pain, breastfeeding is the most wonderful thing in the world. it is the ultimate bonding with your baby. in the first few months you will spend hours upon hours nursing your little one. i found that it was vital to have my nursing space prepared before settling in - sometimes you are there for 45 minutes or more! i got a little basket and kept it stocked with some snacks, water (you get very thirsty while nursing), soothies/lansinoh/breast shells, a magazine (US Weekly, please), a breastfeeding guide, my cell phone, and the remote. also essential in the early days is a nursing pillow to help support your baby and give your arms a rest. i had a lot of back pain from hunching over while i nursed, so try to prop yourself up with pillows to help with your posture.

another item that you're going to need is a good nursing bra or 2 - i had one for day and one for sleeping. you'll also want some nursing pads - both disposable and washable. after about 6 weeks, you can start using these amazing nursing pads which are awesome while wearing a swimsuit or a dress/shirt that you don't want to wear a bra with.

now relax and enjoy this precious experience!

 

baby gear 101...part 1

i'll be the first to admit that when i was pregnant i was obsessed with baby gear. i spent way too much time on this here computer, searching and comparing and adding and subtracting from my registries. the fact is, there is a lot of crap out there. babies r us and other such corporations have done an excellent job of making you think that you NEED this, that, and the other baby essential. there are, of course, some things that you do need...and lots that you don't. over the next week or so, i am going to present a series of posts that outlines what i have found to be quality, essential items for my own little babe.

today i'll focus on the first few days of that little newborn's life. first and foremost your little one will need to be kept warm. hats, socks, little mittens, and of course, blankets. my little one loved to be swaddled. we found two brands of swaddling blankets that we liked - and as an added bonus, both of these come with swaddling instructions: swaddle designs ultimate swaddling blankets (warm and cozy) and aden and anais muslin blankets (light and airy), seen below...

 

later on we used these velcro swaddling blankets, but at the beginning these just seemed a little big and it is easier to get a nice tight wrap with the other blankets.

another essential in those first few days - at least if you wish to take your little one from the hospital or birthing center to your home - is an infant carseat. we like the chicco keyfit30:

 

i think it may be a little heavier than some other carseats, but i'll take the weight if it means added safety. this is also a very cozy seat and fits babies up to 30 pounds or 30 inches. my little one is (a tall) 7 months old and she's still fitting in it just fine. with the chicco, you can get a corresponding chicco stroller to create a travel system. however, we prefer a simple snap-n-go. this is much less bulky than the travel system and in the first few months is all you need in a stroller.

once home, you will be spending most of your time with your babe in your arms. but if you'd like to have a chance to, say, eat or shower, it is a good idea to have a nice soothing swing. we have a very small house so we didn't want to get a big, obtrusive swing, so we found this little travel swing to be perfect. in fact, there were several nights that our little one slept in the swing all night long.

 

there is a whole world of baby carriers out there and this in itself can be a stressfull decision, as many of the carriers are not exactly cheap and there seems to be one for every occasion. over this post series i'll outline the carriers that i think go well with each stage, but for the first few weeks, a simple across-the-body sling seems to work well. we have a peanut shell

 

as well as a hotsling - one for me and one for hubby. i've also heard that these are nice as well. the across-the-body slings are also useful later on, as a support when the baby can sit on your hip.

for diapers, we chose to use seventh generation. these are chlorine-free, so they are much healthier for your baby's pristine body, and they also biodegrade faster than the average diaper. if you sign up for amazon's subscribe and save service, you get a discount on the diapers, no tax or shipping costs, and a regular schedule of having your diapers delivered. if you choose to use cloth diapers, i hear that these are nice.

check back...future posts will include breastfeeding, bathing, and soothing essentials! and don't forget, you can never have too many onesies.

move over, giada

 

olivia started eating solids a few weeks ago, and though she's not the hugest fan yet, it's a fun activity to add to our day. so is making the food - a pleasant surprise to me as cooking often stresses me out and ends up with me throwing things around the kitchen. but making baby food has so far proven itself easy and rather enjoyable - satisfying might be the right term. i've been using a cookbook that alan got me and a website recommended by my friend sara to determine what is best to give at this stage and how to prepare it. to me it feels better to know where the food is coming from - much of it i actually made months ago with food from our spring CSA and froze - plus it's a whole lot cheaper than buying pre-made food. 'cuz you know i'd be tempted into buying the organic jarred stuff from whole foods otherwise. and being at home with the babe, I've got no excuse!