Category Archives: Before Baby Arrives

An Amazing Remedy for Diaper Rash

A month ago my good friend told me about her new favorite product when it comes to diapering: California Baby Non-Burning and Calming Diaper Area Wash. I put off buying it because Target was a little out of my way, but this past week my son developed a terrible rash, and so I made a point to swing by Target and pick it up. Before I tell you how well this stuff works, let me preface that by saying that this rash was the worst my son ever had. He developed two open sores that would bleed if wiped during … Continue reading →

Buying Clothes for Your Toddler

This past week I went shopping for some new clothes for my toddler. He recently went through a growth spurt and half of the items in his closet no longer fit. I always buy clothes that are a little big and he wears them until they are a little small. He had a closet full of 12 month clothes and a small selection of 18 month clothes. I bought him quite a few 2T clothes and a small selection of 3T for him to grow into. There is a trick to buying big. You have to find clothes that can … Continue reading →

Potty Training Already?

This week we went out and bought a potty seat. We tried it out for an hour the first day, which was Friday. Today we weren’t home, so we did not sit on the potty. Tomorrow we’ll be gone again, so we probably won’t sit on the potty. Monday, however, we will be home and that is when I’ll really start teaching him about the potty. I’m not really trying to get him potty trained in a week. He’s only eighteen months old. He has shown some interest, however, and that is why I’m beginning to show him how it … Continue reading →

The Shopping Cart Cover

The shopping cart cover does seem a bit frivolous and unnecessary at first glance, but its usefulness extends beyond keeping germs at bay. My purpose for getting one of these never had anything to do with germs in the first place. I have a lot of reasons I like my shopping cart cover, though, and here are a few: 1. It’s a crumb catcher. In my family, grocery shopping time is snack time. Snacks ensure that my time shopping is uninterrupted and somewhat peaceful. As long as my 18-month-old has crackers and a sippy cup, he will let me shop … Continue reading →

Planning Your Baby’s First Birthday: The Outfit

I had a lot of fun designing a fun t-shirt for my son to wear to his first birthday party. I have also seen some really creative options available from artists on Etsy. What your child wears to her first birthday party is almost as important as the cake she is going to smash her hands into. A first birthday party outfit should only meet two requirements: it should be comfortable and it should be cute. Bonus points if it is washable and stain resistant. After that, it is all up to you. Here are some ideas to get you … Continue reading →

Planning Your Baby’s First Birthday: Decorations

First birthday parties are probably more for the moms than they are for the babies, but they are a lot of fun for the whole family. A lot goes into planning the first birthday party. Over the next week, I will go over all the little details of party planning, so you will be well prepared for your child’s very first birthday party. One of the highlights for me was the decorating. I love to decorate, so I had a great time designing cupcakes, a custom birthday t-shirt, a sign, and decorating the house. I decided to go with cupcakes … Continue reading →

Car Seats

When I was pregnant, I was very intimidated by car seats. They seemed complicated to install and I was worried about the consequences of doing it wrong. What if I got into a car accident and the seat wasn’t secure? Fortunately, the hospital where I gave birth had a free car seat check. It was a quick appointment. The women showed me how to properly install my car seat, gave me some tips for getting it snug, and then actually installed it for me. I received some free car seat safety information as well as an identification sticker to place … Continue reading →

Why I Love Pocket Diapers

I have been cloth diapering my son since he was a little over a year old. I was always hesitant to start earlier because I thought washing was going to be a hassle. Now that I am in the thick of it, I realize it’s no big deal. Diapers are much easier to wash than normal clothes because there’s no sorting or folding involved. You definitely don’t have to worry about whether your cloth diapers are wrinkled, so it’s okay to just let them sit in the dryer for a while if you don’t have time to take them out. … Continue reading →

Our Favorite Board Books

My toddler loves to read. There are certain books that he always goes for each and every day. I thought I would share the list with you so you can enjoy these great children’s books as well. The book my son probably looks at the most is “Tractor (Touch and Feel),” published by D.K. Publishing. He loves to feel the different textures, and the pictures are colorful and vibrant. He affectionately calls every tractor “mow mow.” Another favorite is “First 100 Words (Bright Baby)” by Roger Priddy. This is an oversize board book with bright colors and tons of photos, … Continue reading →

Storing Baby’s Toys

Even if you don’t start of with very many toys for your baby, after your baby’s first Christmas and her first birthday, you’ll have baby toys coming out of your ears. People love to buy baby clothes when you’re expecting, but they love to buy toys even more once your baby is born and begins to play. If you were smart, you planned plenty of storage when you created your baby’s nursery design. Or, you were like me and had only minimal toy storage available. After Christmas and before his birthday, we made an upgrade to his toy storage. I … Continue reading →