Food Battles: The Toddler Years

For months DH and I have been engaged in food battles with Cameron. It was been a soul sucking experience that has resulted in parental disagreements, tears (on Cameron's part) and zero desire to approach the dinner table (all of us).

Part of the fault rests with us, I know. We can't get our crap together and have regular family dinners. Cameron does better with eating when we eat together but we typically serve something we know she will eat (pasta) and we have only been able to manage it 1-2 times a week. Even when we don't eat with her we are in the kitchen and usually at the table with her interacting and talking about our days.

I get it, I really do. Cameron is a picky eater. And I've struggled with food issues all my life so I can appreciate rejecting food for texture or appearance issues. But I want her to at least try the food before declaring she won't eat it. The crazy thing is that she eats a much wider variety of food at daycare but even if we serve her the same exact thing at home she rejects it. There are maybe 7-8 foods she will eat for dinner (aside from fruit). The lack of variety is frustrating and makes me feel like a parenting failure.

DH and I have been struggling with the appropriate tact to take in dealing with this issue. And it is an issue because instinctively Cameron knows that food equals control. Her rejection of new foods keeps us essentially fawning over her trying to get her to eat it. So my mindset now is that we just prepare the food for her (with 1 or 2 new foods mixed in with the standbys) give it to her and then refuse to engage. She doesn't eat it? Then it stays on her plate and she doesn't get dessert (we don't do dessert every night but have been using it as bribe lately which has been wildly unsuccessful). We haven't caved and cooked or given her alternate food in many months so that isn't a problem for us. It's more about curbing our impatience with Cameron's approach to food.

I would never punish Cameron for not eating because I know that leads to more food issues and frankly she is far too young for the whole "if you don't eat something then it's time for bed" type of discipline. But where do we go from here? Do we just grit our teeth and continue with the plan mentioned above? Are there other things you recommend we try?

The post where I spend too much time analyzing a TV show

Cameron has joined the ranks of the TV obsessed toddlers. Two weeks ago she started showing a marked interest in one particular show. I admit I encouraged it. She had shown minimal interest in the show 4 months ago so I taped a dozen episodes in the hope that one day she would be content to sit and watch it by herself while I got things done around the house. Well, the interest level is there but she insists I watch the show with her so I haven't been able to realize much gain yet.

We are limiting her to one show a day and sometimes two on the weekend. But the constant refrain of "Minnie Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Minnie Mouse" is starting to get on my nerves. We don't give in but I have to face it, my child is obsessed with the Mickey Mouse Club. She loves Minnie the most which surprises me because I figured Mickey or Pluto or Goofy would be the main attractions. But Cameron is living up to my prediction that she will be a girlie girl with her Minnie love.

I find myself spending far too much time thinking about this stupid show as I sit with Cameron and watch it. The show is very well done. Aside from a few minor tweaks (Mouska Dance vs. Hot Dog Dance) it hasn't changed in the four seasons I've taped episodes from. I can't imagine that it takes much effort to produce an episode so it has to be a serious money maker for the Disney corporation. Story lines are formulaic and many of the scenes can be recycled (hot dog dance, mouska tools, etc.). There is a lot of "interaction" where the characters talk and expect responses which Cameron loves. She eagerly says, "Oh Toodles!" upon command. I saw one extended episode where the writers made Toodles into a true character. He was like the Jar Jar Binks of the Mickey Mouse Club and I'm glad I have yet to see his return. See? Far too much time spent thinking about this show.

I am a TV fanatic so I don't begrudge my daughter a TV show of her own. I like that it is 25 minutes and commercial free. A DVR lets me even skip the before and after ads. I'm sure she has already been sucked into the commercialization but she has yet to ask for any toys related to the show. And hey, at least she'll recognize characters when we go to Disney next year!

So, what other shows so I consider adding to our DVR list over the next few months? I can't imagine I'll avoid repeat episodes of the Mickey Mouse Club forever. And the show is annoying enough that I would prefer not to see any repeats. What do your kids love and you can tolerate?

Basking in the parent-to-be glow

No, not me!!

A guy got on the elevator with me and he was practically grinning from ear to ear. It was just us on the ride up and he blurted, "I just got to see my unborn baby for the first time and it was incredible!"

I congratulated him on his impended fatherhood and he went on and on about how amazing it was to see the heart beat, etc. Now call me jaded but here was what I wanted to tell him:

• Prepare for lots of sleepless nights


• Find a good babysitter now and schedule your date nights a year in advance. And have date nights.


• I'm two years in and the toddler stage is way more exhausting than the infant stage. Just so you have something to look forward to.

Perhaps I'm settling more into the idea of one and done? I'm not sure but either way that parent-to-be glow did not rub off on me. Anything else you would have said inside your head to this guy?

Overcoming another traumatic experience

We have had another traumatic experience in our household. Unlike last time I thought it was hilarious when it first happened. But now repercussions have reverberated through our household and I am turning to my Internet friends for advice and sympathy.

DH and I had a wonderful day with Cameron on Saturday. We went to Holden's birthday party at Monkey Joe's and then out for a relatively (for me) healthy lunch. Cameron napped until 3:30 PM and then our amazing (and moving to California BOOOOOO) babysitter came over at 4 PM and DH and I went to the movies and then dinner. Date night was delightful (I recommend the movie The Adjustment Bureau) and DH and I returned home around 9 PM.

I expected the normal "she had a great time" report from Amy but received a different one entirely. 99% of the time Cameron did have a great time. The remaining 1%? Not so good. The reason? Cameron pooped in the tub. Apparently she freaked the hell out and screamed and screamed. Poor Amy had to manage Cameron and clean out the mess at the same time.

A huge part of me is relieved to have been spared the pooping in the tub incident. DH and I laughed and laughed about missing this parenting milestone and gave Amy some combat pay for her troubles. But the incident has spawned a new behavior that reared its ugly head tonight (we bath Cameron every other night). I put her in the bath and everything was fine for approximately 90 seconds. Then she stood up and started screaming about a "bug" in the bath water and how I needed to get rid of it RIGHT NOW. I removed the offending bit of something floating in the water but that wasn't good enough. The problem was that Cameron had food in her hair so a bath was necessary and non-negotiable.

I quickly soaped Cameron down while she screamed her head off. As soon as possible I removed her from the tub. While drying her off and getting her dressed Cameron kept telling me "Poop in tub" so clearly she remembers the incident from Saturday evening very well. For the rest of the night I told Cameron that the poop was all gone and that bath is fun. I'm not sure I got through to her, however, so I am already anxious about what will happen during bath time on Wednesday.

So my Internet friends, has this happened to you? Will this incident be long forgotten by Wednesday? Am I going to have to strip down and bath with Cameron to make her comfortable and not worry about poop in the tub? Eek!

Tricks and tips for weight loss

The past 10 months have taught me a lot about weight loss. And apparently I still have more to learn as my little slip up this week (gain) at my WW meeting taught me. Oh well, a truly awesome dinner at Georges was well worth the increase.

Full disclosure: I stole this blog topic from a regular reader of mine, so please check out her blog post as well.

I have never really dieted on my own before. This is my second go around with Weight Watchers. I have never tried any fad diets or other weight loss programs. I think that was a good thing because I didn't have any bad habits to break. It's a commitment to lose 50 pounds (going for 55 total but I'm not sure I'll get there or be able to maintain it...but that's another blog post). It requires completely changing the way you eat, at least it did for me.

The first thing I did was to get rid of my "trigger" foods. Salt & vinegar chips, Cheez-Its, ice cream, etc. I do have a husband who can eat whatever he wants so I couldn't get rid of his favorite foods. Fortunately what DH likes wasn't top of my list so I could resist.

I try to shop the circumference of the grocery store, not the inner aisles. This isn't always feasible with a toddler and husband but now my cart is more weighted towards fresh foods and less than half is dedicated to staples (unless there is a big sale going on). At first I found myself throwing out a lot of fresh food that went bad. But as time went on I got a little better about meal planning (for lunches anyway) and less food went bad.

Another good tip is to measure, measure, measure your food. I will freely admit that I half-assed it for a long time and did eye ball measuring. Now I pull out the measuring cups, spoons and I even have a scale. This is a lot easier when I'm preparing food at home, of course, but the longer you measure, the easier it is to eye ball when you are eating out and more accurately track your PointsPlus (or calories). Dovetailing nicely with measuring is tracking. I like the WW system (duh) but this would also work for people who calorie count.

I eat more when I work out. I know this is probably a very obvious thing to type but the WW system allows you to "bank" your activity points. This does not work at all, mostly because if they are banked then I usually use them for booze on the weekend and not using them when I should - the day I exercise.

My weigh in is Thursday nights. Having a late week weigh in is wonderful for me. If I go a little crazy over the weekend then I can get back on track starting Monday and have 4 full days to get my crap together. WW tells you not to weigh yourself except for your weekly weigh in. Personally I weigh myself almost every day (at the same time). It really helps keep me on track if I see the numbers start to creep up.

I mentioned meal planning above. I am still not good about planning out dinners for an entire week. For grocery shopping I think about 2-3 days worth of dinners and 4-5 days worth of lunches in advance. I try to bring my lunch 4 days a week to work. When I bring food with me to work I bring a big bag. My lunch bag typically looks like this: breakfast, mid-morning snack (fruit), lunch, mid-afternoon snack. I leave the office around 4/4:30 so I usually have a piece of fruit when I get home too. I try to calculate my PointsPlus for my breakfast/lunches the night before.

Two more tips to share: drink a ton of water and trick your brain into thinking you have more food on your plate than you really do. I eat my dinner with small utensils and on small plates (like salad plates). It's a little OCD but it seems like there is so much food on the plate. Plus it helps you to eat more slowly. In terms of drinking water oftentimes we think we are hungry but we're really thirsty. I'm not very good about drinking water but I see the effects immediately when I am good. Try to drink a full glass of water before you eat. You will feel fuller faster.

So those are all my tricks and tips for starting and maintaining the weight loss journey. What would you add? I am still learning so please share!!

You must be superwoman, right?

I think most of you are regular readers of my blog but for anyone stopping by for a visit (Hi!) you should know that I am a full time work out of home wife and mother. What does that mean exactly? It means that weight loss and exercise were never really priorities for me until I decided to make them priorities. Incorporating weight loss and exercise into your daily and weekly routine is hard.

I’ve spent quite a bit of time thinking about what made this go around with weight loss successful (almost at 50 pounds lost!) and wanted to share my thoughts for anyone interested in getting started with your own weight loss and exercise routine. Please note that I went from a person who never exercised or really tried to lose weight/keep it off to regularly watching what I eat and exercising. So I hope this is helpful for people starting at ground zero like I was.

I’m sure won’t surprise you to know that money plays a role in weight loss. Is it possible to not spend any more money and lose weight? Sure! But it helps to have flexibility in your budget. Here are some things that are now in mine:

• Weight Watchers monthly pass. It is $39.95 per month and includes access to their eTools. I go to the meetings because in person accountability is a key success factor for me. What can I say, I crave validation which is probably why I blog. So please leave a comment! I track my PointsPlus on my iPhone which is great because I have it with me always. I typically look up point values before I eat something so I’m making an informed decision. I should be achieving Lifetime status soon at WW (fingers crossed!) so that monthly fee will be reduced to just the eTool access. I also submitted a request to my insurance last year and got $150 reimbursed. So be sure and check your insurance plan!
• iPhone/apps are another great way to get and stay motivated with working out. I have been downloading great songs to add to my workout list. Plus, I recently started the Couch to 5K program and yes, there’s an app for that! Next up on the technology front will probably be a heart rate monitor and pedometer. Recommendations on specific brands are welcome.
• Gym. I joined a gym in May of last year primarily because they had a kick ass outdoor pool/splash park area that I knew Cameron would love. It gradually morphed into an individual membership for me. I get to use their equipment and take their group classes (my personal favorite right now is spinning). Plus they have daycare (more on that below).
• Personal trainer. My parents generously gifted me with 4 one hour personal training sessions for Christmas. I have had 3 sessions so far and absolutely love it. My PT pushes me way harder than I would on my own. Plus she is creating total body workouts for me that I can use on my own. I won’t be having weekly PT sessions once I’m done (sniff) but I plan on working at least monthly session into our budget. It will keep me on track with weight lifting and force me to do more than just cardio.
• Cleaning service. What is the most precious thing that working parents need? Time. We got a cleaning service when I returned to work and it has absolutely freed up several hours on the weekend from cleaning. True, my house might be a little dirtier in between sessions but a bi-weekly cleaning service saves me from having to think about cleaning on a regular basis.
• Prepared meals. I do buy WW and other prepared meals. It is great for “go to” meals when you don’t want to think about what to make or eat for dinner. I’m also less likely to eat something unhealthy when I can pop a meal in the microwave. We don’t do family dinners with Cameron yet so at least twice a week I have a frozen meal for dinner and DH makes himself a pizza.

Childcare is a critical component to making enough time in your schedule to exercise. For me, the daycare at the gym has been invaluable. It costs about $2.50 an hour (if you buy hours in bulk) and Cameron loves playing with the toys there. It’s also a great break for DH. I typically use the gym daycare on Sunday mornings. I joined a Jewish Community Center so unfortunately they are not open on Saturday mornings. Once my PT sessions are done, I plan on hitting the gym on Saturdays during Cameron’s nap. Another good source of childcare? DH, of course! He handles bedtime alone on Thursday nights while I’m at my WW meeting. Plus he usually has a glass of wine waiting for me when I get home. I’m trying to figure out a new routine for getting my Couch to 5K sessions in. Today was the first time I hit the gym right after work. I typically do drop off in the mornings and DH gets Cameron in the evenings. My work schedule (more on that below) allows me to leave work early enough to get a 30-45 minute workout in and still be back to greet Cameron when she gets home from school.

I am fortunate to have a flexible work environment. I work from home every Friday which allows me to get a workout in during my lunch hour. I typically get into the office around 7:30 AM and work until 4/4:30 PM depending on my meeting schedule. I also rarely travel for work which allows me to keep a consistent schedule. I love that BigFinance is so flexible and it’s one of the reasons I plan on staying with the company long term. True, my Blackberry blew up at 5:30 PM tonight but that is a rare occurrence.

So those are my tricks and tips for how to keep on track and motivated for weight loss and exercise. What helpful hints do you have?

Note: I am not paid endorsements for my views (I wish!). This is the second in a series of posts about my journey with weight loss and exercise. You can find the first post in this series here.

Overcoming a traumatic experience

Cameron was traumatized this weekend. No, it wasn’t breaking a femur or anything crazy like that. She just got sick and it touched off a traumatic experience that I need help from my readers to overcome.

On Friday Cameron woke up fussy and with a fever. I obeyed my mommy instincts and took her to the sick clinic when it opened, promptly at 8:30 AM. I love that her pediatric office does sick clinics! A 5 minute wait and we were lucky enough to be called back to meet with our regular pediatrician who was on duty. I explained that we had been around family who suffered from things like strep throat and bronchitis. Given we were going into a holiday weekend I wanted to get Cameron’s ears checked and have a test done for strep. Our doctor expressed skepticism that a not-even 2 year old could have strep but agreed to my request. The test wasn’t pleasant and DH was gagging in sympathy with Cameron. 10 minutes later we had our diagnosis: strep. The doctor was amazed and DH and I were thankful that we caught it early. We thought that after 3 days on antibiotics and pain meds Cameron would be well enough for daycare today. Sounds like a great plan, right? Oh, how wrong we were.

It started out OK. Aside from a phase in the 6-9 month stage Cameron has always taken her meds easily. I mean, they taste like candy so it shouldn’t be a problem! But for some reason the antibiotics didn’t kick in right away so I can only assume Cameron’s throat started hurting more and more. She took her meds no problem on Friday. Saturday I had to resort to bribing:

• Yes, you can have your paci downstairs but only if you take your medicine first.
• Yes, you can have your blankie downstairs but only if you take your medicine first.

You get the idea. Saturday night, however she refused everything. And, as you know, you can’t miss a dose of antibiotics. So DH and I rolled up our sleeves and forced Cameron to take the medicine, much as we did when she was younger: on her back, arms under our legs, head immobile, and squirt the medicine under the tongue to get her to swallow. It worked perfectly when she was a baby. Now she got so upset and cried so hard that she ended up aspirating and throwing up the medicine all over the floor, her blankie and lovie. (Side note: this is where “extras” come in handy for things like blankies and lovies. There was no time to do laundry before bed but Cameron never noticed a difference.)

Sunday morning found me in tears. Not just because of Cameron but also because I (as it turned out after 3 hours in the Minute Clinic waiting room) was suffering from a sinus infection. How the hell does DH avoid illnesses in our house?!? He must have a pact with the devil. We packed Cameron up and headed to the Sunday sick clinic hours at her pediatrician. This time we weren’t so lucky and it took us 90 minutes to get called back. After being gently lectured by an older male doctor about how to get Cameron to take her medicine (GRRRR…don’t you think we tried everything?) he acquiesced to a penicillin shot.

We were forced to give Cameron ibuprofen last night because she was still running a fever and couldn’t sleep. Same traumatic experience although she managed to keep most of the medicine down. Today we realize that she also has an open sore on her lip which is interfering with her ability to eat. What would make it better? Yup, medicine. We've been somewhat successful sneaking in Baby Orajel but other medicines are still a no-go. So, internet friends, help a parent out. How the heck to I overcome this over the next few days/weeks? How can I get Cameron back to taking medicine easily? Or have we scarred her for life?

PS - I do plan on bringing her to daycare tomorrow assuming we can push her some drugs first. It would do her good to get back into a routine after 4 days away and she isn't running a fever or contagious. It is DH's first day back after a 2 week vacation so I can't ask him to take another day off so I'll be working from home just in case we get the dreaded daycare call...so keeps your fingers crossed for us!

Struggling with daycare decision

Internet, I have good news and bad news from the daycare front. The good news? Cameron was accepted into the JCC pre-school program I mentioned in earlier posts. The bad news? I’m not sure I want to move her out of her current daycare. I’ll pause here for gasps of shock. Yes, I have turned into that wishy-washy parent that can’t make up her mind. Let me lay out the pros and cons and ask you, my dear Internet friends, to weigh in and help me grow a spine and make a decision.

Pros – Structured as a “school” during the year and camp in the summer. There are tons of enrichment activities offered (art, music, gym, library, swimming lessons, etc.). It is closer to our house but commute-wise I don’t think it will really make a difference (maybe 10-15 minutes less). Of course I say that during a summer commute time which is always easier. I also like the religious aspect of it, not that either of us is religious. It’s more about the teaching of morals, history, etc.

Cons – It will cost $350 more a month (but will also give us year-round access to the community center). We have to provide Cameron’s food which is annoying but doable. The price does not go down as Cameron gets older and the ratios go up. It is a religious school so they do not have to adhere to the same daycare standards as certified daycares. It’s all white kids. Seriously, zero diversity aside from religion, of course. Being a Jewish program they follow the conservative Jewish calendar for holidays which means there are 12 extra days we will need to find other daycare for Cameron - many of those consecutive days. That means an additional cost of approximately $500 (even assuming we can find a drop-in place!). Not to mention the stress of having to change the routine up for those days and asking Cameron to be flexible. This might be the biggest con for me and DH.

When I started frantically looking for another daycare it was because the Assistant Director and Director both left our current school within 2 weeks of each other. But the transition seems to be going OK. My biggest concern about our current place is what they will be doing for education and enrichment activities. Education is less of a concern but they don’t offer any music or language or structured gross motor/fine motor activities. The other thing for us to think about is that in either situation we will have to find new care for Cameron when she starts pre-K or Kindergarten. I don’t know enough about full time vs. part time K programs but I assume after school care will be required. Our current daycare does pick up but not at the schools she would potentially attend. Of course at that point, after 5 years on the waiting list maybe we’ll finally get her into my first choice?

There it is. My dilemma. Any words of wisdom out there? Or questions I should be asking myself or the schools?

Wordy Wednesday

Not being able to access my blog and by extension, all of the blogs I read regularly, at work has really thrown me for a loop. Yes, I have an iPhone so I can go on my Google reader and access them that way but have you ever tried to type a blog post on an iPhone? It’s a laborious process and not one that I plan on doing regularly. Instead I will try to come up with witty posts during the work day, email them to myself and post them at night when I get home. Except for one thing: my personal computer has shit the bed. It’s only 5 years old so I’m a little annoyed. It’s a combination of the fan not working and a battery that only lasts 8 minutes. Which means even if I’m plugged into power my computer shuts itself down (stupid fan) every couple of minutes. It’s gotten so bad that I can’t even boot it up entirely before it shuts down. So I’m in the market for a new, basic laptop. I basically read email, edit photos, blog and watch Hulu on my personal computer. A MacBook is too expensive and a NetBook is too small for watching online TV. Any suggestions from my readers for a not too expensive laptop?

We had a wonderful weekend with far too much booze, much socializing and plenty of fun with Cameron. I would have blogged about it but see above. We have joined a local community center that has an awesome splash park for the little ones. You would have thought that it would be prime picture time and you would be right except for one thing. Both times we went I forgot my camera. Oops! I promise pictures after we go again (weather permitting) this weekend. Cameron has been very tentative about going up to the spraying water and interacting with the other kids. She’s definitely one of the younger ones but it also highlights a personality trait DH and I have commented on in her. She is very much an observer at first. Cameron needs to stay with me or DH, sitting on our laps for a few minutes in a new situation before she’ll start exploring. Sometimes she sticks to our side like glue for an entire situation. With all the noise, water and kids running around the splash park I have no doubt it will take more trips before she is comfortable. I’ve also been doing a lot of thinking about next steps in education and child care for Cameron. First of all, my morning commute sucks. It takes me 45-60 minutes to handle drop off, fight traffic and be at work by 8 AM. Pick up in the evening traffic would be worse and I run the risk of having meetings that run up to 5 PM so we have to stick with me doing the drop offs and DH doing the pickups.

The other concern that I have is about the educational program at her school. Cameron’s daycare uses the High Reach Learning program which is a nice philosophy but doesn’t include formal music, language (foreign) and art programs. But wait, you might be thinking, Cameron is only 14 months old. True, but before I blink she’ll be 2 and ready for pre-school. The other daycares we are STILL on the wait list for have special teachers for the areas I listed not to mention my top choice has an indoor gymnasium and the kids get physical activity regardless of the weather. The problem is that there are really only two daycares with the programs I like right in our area. My commute would be even worse if we settled on something outside our neighborhood area. Sigh. DH says he loves Cameron’s current school and I think it was great as an infant and waddler. But now that she is getting closer to “school" age I want more for her in terms of education and enrichment. And I’m willing to pay for it. Has anyone else struggled with this?

The future of sleep

I'm about to invite the karma gods to rain down on my head but I have a not-so-secret confession to make: Cameron is an excellent sleeper. How exactly did we arrive at a 14 month old who sleeps 12+ hours a night? Let me share my secrets:

• I tracked her sleep/wake/fussy patterns starting at 8 weeks old for about a month. This allowed me to visually understand her patterns and be able to adjust her feeding/nap schedule appropriately.
• Swaddling. We swaddled for about 6 months until we started CIO. The super swaddle was the only thing that allowed us to keep her in a burrito shape.
• Consistent bedtime. Need I say more? Cameron is in bed between 6:30-7 PM depending on how well she naps at school. We also have a consistent routine with bathing every other night, music, book and bed.
• We did CIO when Cameron was 6 months old. I know that some people don't like CIO for various reasons but I am convinced it was a key step in teaching her how to fall back asleep on her own.
• Medicate early and often. I can count on one hand the number of times we've had to console Cameron during the night and they all point to illness or teething. Motrin is my friend and if there are signs of teething I will give her some before bed. I don't want to be in pain so I assume she doesn't either!
• Good naps. It's totally true. A good napper is a good night time sleeper. We have irregularly gone down to one nap a day (always at daycare but sometimes on the weekend). She spends that nap in her crib with the shades and curtains drawn and the fan and humidifier on. I'm a light sleeper so I always assume everyone else is too. The white noise helps ensure a 2+ hour nap.
• Read, read, read. I searched other people's blogs, I read "Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child" and I posed questions via my own blog for advice. I didn't have to experiment with many techniques, fortunately. CIO worked for us in about 4 days. I also felt no major guilt over CIO. I know my mom did it with us (how could you not with triplets?!?) and I love to sleep.
• Genetics. See above. I love to sleep. I can nap and still go to bed at the same time. This must play a roll in my child's capacity for sleep.

I am curious about how long our luck will hold out. I plan on keeping Cameron in a sleep sack until she can't fit in it any more to avoid attempts to climb out of her crib. Thanks to Goddess In Progress for that suggestion. I'm sure once we transition her into a "big girl" bed that sleep interruptions will be more frequent.

As your kids have gotten older did you find that their sleeping patterns changed drastically? Any particular stages for us to be aware of? In July Cameron will be sharing a room with her almost two year old cousins. They are twins and hence used to noise from each other during the night. I am a bit worried that Cameron will wake up more frequently and not be able to fall back to sleep. But I guess we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.

Toddler product reviews: 12+ months

Now that Cameron is a year old, I thought it was time for another of my period reviews of "must have" items in our household. I have also reviewed products for 0-6 months and 6-9 months

Board books
We have a good supply of board books in Cameron's play area and up in her room. As anyone with a toddler knows, they like to destroy things. Board books are perfect because they are practically indestructible. Not so the pop up book that barely survived a single "reading" with Cameron. My favorites are the Sandra Boynton ones because they rhyme and don't have too many words. The touch and feel books are still good for this age too.

Swing
We put Cameron in this exactly one time and she immediately started pointing (well, gesturing with her entire hand because she hasn't figured out pointing with an index finger yet) at the swing every time she saw it from her bedroom window or if we were out in the yard. She insists on swinging for at least 15 minutes. If we try to take her out before those 15 minutes are up then she kicks and cries. We've been fortunate that physical development melded nicely with the passage of seasons. It has been perfect swinging weather since we got it. The one we use is Little Tykes and I got it for $15 from a consignment sale. It doesn't swing completely straight but I blame the installation (trees can be tricky). If we had a real swing set I would have gotten a bucket seat swing. We use those at the park and I think that they are much sturdier.

Shoes
I still have some 12-18 month Robeez and that Cameron needs to grow into. Now that she is cruising all over the place, however, those shoes will probably be relegated to "indoor" shoes. Otherwise Cameron is now enjoying "real" shoes. We did go to Stride Rite and spent more than necessary but hey, it was her first pair of real shoes. My recommendation is to go velcro. I have no idea why parents would select ones with laces. Cameron already likes to unlace things. Putting temptation on her feet would be too risky. I was going to get two pairs of shoes for her but I didn't want two girlie pairs and the one boy pair I liked was out of stock. In retrospect I'm glad we only got one pair. We'll definitely add in sandals into the mix for the late spring/summer.

Hair holders
I have bought more hair accessories for Cameron's hair than I have ever had for my own. I finally found the right kind of elastic bands. I swear by the Scunci brand which is carried by most retailers. Don't go plastic. They will fall out in 1 minute. Aside from the tiny elastic bands I also like the clippies and miniature octopus clips Scunci offers. My trick to styling Cameron's hair is to put her in the high chair, give her a handful of Cheerios and go to town.

Suction bowl
Cameron likes to throw her food. A lot. One strategy we have employed to combat her willfulness is to present her food in a bowl. I ordered two of these suction bowls from Amazon and love them! One is not enough...you should definitely get two. The ones I purchased do a great job of "sticking" to the tray.

High chair mat
Continuing with the food theme I also purchased a splat mat. Even though we have a dog he is the biggest wimp on the planet and won't come far enough into the kitchen to eat the dropped (ahem, thrown) food. Weirdo. I'll pull the mat up before the cleaning people come through.

Food storage
Toddlers don't just love playing with Tupperware, parents love how useful it is for storing leftovers. I found the perfect size for us to use for extra canned vegetables or fresh fruit. They also work for the diaper bag with snacks. My local Harris Teeter carried them.

Snack trap
We have two, one is the original Snack Trap and the other is a knock off. Both work fine but I find that the original Snack Trap has a more flexible plastic on its opening. It's easier for Cameron to get her hand in but it is also easier for her to spill the snack all over the floor. Or the car seat. Or the stroller. Do you sense a theme?

Sippy cup leash
I don't have one of these yet but my friend Amanda showed hers off while we were at lunch with our munchkins. I had to keep getting up from my chair and picking up Cameron's sippy cup. So I'm ordering one ASAP. Amanda recommends two: one for traveling and one for the high chair.

Sling
Cameron still isn't walking on her own and even when she is, it will take her a few months to become a really good walker. And even then she's going to want to be carried quite a bit. With the summer heat right around the corner I shuddered to think about using the heavy Moby wrap. Instead I purchased a very inexpensive ring sling from Sleeping Baby Productions. I'm just a few inches over 5 feet and a small works great for us. It can be a bit awkward to get Cameron in and out by myself but if DH is around it's perfect. I can take most of her weight onto my shoulder rather than my arm. It's more comfortable for both of us and I can carry her for 30+ minutes at a time. I've even taken her on errands with it because it is so much faster than hauling out the stroller.

Parents of kids over the age of 1...what else am I missing? Any other must haves that I need to add to this list?

Baby products review: 6-9 months

There are lots of things that we now use with Cameron that I didn't anticipate us needing or wanting when she was percolating or even 3 months old. Here is a run down of products that work for us.* You are also welcome to refer back to my older post on 0-3 months necessities.

Feeder bags
A friend told me about these bags at a play date when I mentioned that Cameron was having trouble eating fruit when we started down the solid food path. I was in Target one day and decided to pick them up. The only problem? No one had any idea what I was talking about. I was about to give up and leave when a very nice sales associate flagged me down with the product. It took Cameron a day or two to figure out the bag but then she loved it. I would put frozen pieces of apple in to help with teething or fresh fruit. I haven't done vegetables yet but do recommend you mush the fruit slightly after you've put it in the bag. It helps release the juices and gives babies instant gratification.

Shoes
Cameron was a socks only baby for a very long time. But it started getting colder out and Cameron commenced with her commando crawling. When I saw the ground in dirt on her socks I figured that shoes had become a necessity. I really, really like the Robeez brand of shoes but at $35 a pop they are expensive. Target carries their own brand that are much more reasonable at $13 a pair. I hate to say it but the Robeez ones do stay on a little better than the Target ones. I have one pair of each.

Sleep sacks
Baby, it's cold outside. We used to swaddle Cameron which was great because I never worried that she was cold. At five months we unraveled her permanently and I decided that we would try sleep sacks as an alternative. Now Cameron knows that it's time for her nap or bedtime when she is put into her sleep sack. Sure, that means she whines a little but she also falls right to sleep. I'll probably keep doing this with lighter sleep sacks as she gets older.

Bibs
I said in my last post that you don't need to register for or buy any bibs because you'll get a lot of them as layettes or as one off presents. And that's true. What's also true is the number of bibs Cameron goes through in one weekend approaches 9. Assume 3 bibs, one for each meal. If I'm lucky then I might get two uses out of a bib but that's unusual. We picked up a big pack of Circo brand ones. While they will stain they do hold up well to repeated washings. And somehow they find each other in the dryer so that when I pull one out, they all come with it.

Pacifier holder When the whining gets to be too much it's nice to have a pacifier on hand, isn't? I feel so bad for moms who wanted to give a pacifier but their baby just refused. The biggest problem with the pacifiers is finding them. Followed closely by keeping them clean. The latter problem can be solved by a dishwasher. The former requires a pacifier keeper or holder. Make sure you get one that works with your brand of pacifiers. We use MAM so we have to use one like the one I've linked to above.

Safer bather
Now that Cameron is much more mobile she is just as likely to flip over in the bath as she is on the floor. Couple that with her swimming lessons and the girl thinks she's a fish. That's why I am so, so happy that we have the Safer Bather. I praised it in my last product recommendations and must do so again here. It really helps me keep Cameron in one place while bathing her. I know there are some cheap knock offs out there but at $20 you should really get the brand name.

Soft sided storage bin
There are a million kinds of storage bins out there so I won't link to any in this post. For the past few months we've kept Cameron's smaller toys (which let's face it is about 90% of her toys) in a medium sized soft storage bin. We plop Cameron down on the floor, put her bin next to her and let her go to town. She loves reaching in to grab a toy and casting it aside to start all over again. We haven't quite gotten to the "put it back in the bin" stage. The soft sides means I don't have to worry about her falling into it and it's light enough for her to tip over and spill all her toys out. We simply shove all the toys back into it when she's done and viola we have a much neater living room. It's basically a toy and storage all in one.

Musical table
My mom got this for Cameron for Christmas and she absolutely LOVES it. Before we started playing with this toy Cameron would stand for a few seconds and then get bored and topple over. Now she can stand assisted only by the table for many minutes. I still sit behind her to make sure she's safe but it has worked wonders for her balance and physical development.

Links
It's amazing what babies like, isn't it? But these plastic links have been a hit with every baby in our play group. Plus you can take a section with you on the go.

Activity Triangle
I think Cameron is starting to outgrow this a little bit but she still enjoys playing with it. The best part is that it is big enough for her to lean against when she was learning to sit up but light enough for her to pick up and wave around (with both hands). I got mine used so I included a link to the newer version.

Stacking cups
Like the plastic links I love how simple these are and the fact that even though there are literally no bells and whistles you can still interact with them.

These are a few products that worked for us in this age range. Anything you would add?

*No, I am not endorsed for writing these things. I wish...I just had to buy two car seats and a stroller!

In the market for a stroller and car seat

Yesterday was a Bank holiday which was perfect because Cameron's school had a teacher's workshop day so it was closed. DH and I took Cameron to the doctor's office for a quick check up and H1N1 vaccination. I scheduled her an appointment last week because she has been battling a cold for several weeks and I was concerned about the wheezing I heard, especially when she first woke up. We have a humidifier running but it didn't seem to help. Isn't it totally typically that of course Cameron sounds much better and all her symptoms stopped just before we went to the doctor's? We went anyway because I had called the day before and asked if they FINALLY had any H1N1 flu shots in and they did.

As we walked back to the room I asked the nurse if Cameron could get her H1N1 first vaccination while we were there. I couldn't schedule for it because technically it was a "sick" appointment. The nurse replied, "We have some but not for her age group." Immediately I questioned her, "What do you mean? What age group is getting the shots?" She avoided answering and directed me to talk to the doctor when we saw him. I have to admit I stewed a little. Cameron is only seven and half months old and in day care full time. How can she not be in one of the age groups that the practice was prioritizing. Fortunately the doctor was excited that we wanted to vaccinate Cameron and he ordered the shot for us. Apparently there were only 5 doses left so I guess it's a good thing we had an 8:30 AM appointment! Now I have to schedule her booster shot but I figure there should be less supply issues in a month.

Cameron is up to 18 pounds, 9 ounces. Not sure what % that puts her in but she is trucking right along with her growth. And getting VERY heavy to lug in her Graco SnugRide car seat. What does that mean for us? Time to start researching new car seats and strollers. I would love to hear recommendations from readers for both. In the car seat arena we are looking for a convertible and something that isn't too expensive since we have to get two car seats for day care pick up / drop off purposes. For a stroller I am looking for something fairly light and easy to open and close. Other than that I just need it to recline enough so that Cameron can nap if we happen to be on the go. I know many of you have been down this path before so any and all advice is welcome!

Oh, you didn't ask for my advice?

Now that we have been living with Cameron for more than two months, I have taken note of the things we can't live without in order to keep me sane. I thought I would pass my advice along to future parents. It was a challenge for me to build my registry and I had two sisters to give me advice! What else am I missing from my list that you would recommend? How about as the baby ages?

• Prefold cloth diapers - I can't say enough about how useful these are. 3 packs are not too many! I use them for everything: extra protection on the changing pad or boppy, wiping up spit up or drool, or as a makeshift breastfeeding cover or bib. I also use one under her head while she sleeps in case she spits up. It is such a pain to change crib sheets!


• Boppy - I have two, one for upstairs and one for downstairs. I use it for all of Cameron's feedings and sometimes put her in it for naps (when swaddled of course). She likes the "arms" around her while napping. If you haven't tried it yet for napping, I recommend it. Get the Boppy with a cover so you can throw it in the wash as needed.


• Boppy pad liner - this is useful for changing pads. Cameron liked to pee as we were changing her diaper and we would have had to wash her changing pad frequently if not for this.


• Bouncer - my "go to" device for keeping Cameron occupied while I'm doing things. It took her about two months to really enjoy the toy bar but the vibrations on the bouncer have always worked in soothing her.


• Medela Pump & Save storage bags - I recommend these over the Lansinoh storage bags. I don't actually pump into them because the measurements aren't accurate but they stand up nicely (flat bottom) and work better once defrosted in staying upright.


• Swaddling blankets - if you don't swaddle you should! Cameron is a little Houdini so I have to do the super swaddle but she wouldn't sleep half as well without it. We use two types of blankets for swaddling. The first is for nighttime and is the flannel blankets that my grandmother made for Cameron. The second I tend to use during the day and they are the waffle weave blankets. The waffle weave ones stretch easily and I can tie her up nice and tight. She will outgrow both of these blankets in terms of swaddling so I also have the Aden + Anais muslin blankets which are much larger.


• Pacifiers - I never worried about nipple confusion and was more than happy to let Cameron have a pacifier in the hospital. However, Cameron wasn't good at holding on to the Soother brand, probably because of how it is shaped. Instead she likes the MAM button ones. We started with the 0+ months ones and have now moved on to the 2+ months ones. There is an actual difference! The 2+ ones have a wider base. I just picked up the Pacifier Keeper for use in the car and it's working great so far. Every baby is different so you may need to pick up a couple of brands to see what is right for your baby.


• Cradle swing - I love this product for soothing Cameron to sleep. Our version is shaped in such a way that we can put her in it swaddled and be able to easily move her to her crib after she's fallen asleep. Cameron also loves the mirror and will often fall asleep looking at herself.


• Bath pillow - based on my sister's experience with Finn, I decided to go with the Safer Bather over a plastic infant bath tub. I probably use a bit more water than if I just used a small tub but I like that it's soft and it is easy to move Cameron around to get her clean. Once I'm done I can hang it up in the shower to dry before her next bath. I have thrown it in the washer if it starts to smell a little and it cleans up great. Word of advice though, put it in the washer by itself or it will collect lint.


• Tubside Kneeler & Step Stool - let's face it, tile floors are hard, even when covered by a rug. I came across this product and snapped it up. I love the pockets and the fact that as I lean over the tub there is padding for the side too.


• Playmat - when Cameron gets over stimulated by the bouncer toybar I often move her over to her playmat. I received the Tiny Love Gymini Super Deluxe but really, any of them are good. I also picked up other toys to hang off the bars. I'm told that mine comes apart and can be washed but I haven't had to do that yet.


• Bottle drying rack - we got the Dr. Brown's one mostly because that's they brand we use for bottles but we only use one of the two levels it comes with. I would probably go with this one instead.


• Dishwasher basket - we don't use this much yet since Cameron only gets one bottle a day but I have a feeling it will be very much in use once she starts daycare and we are at 3-4 bottles a day. The Prince Lionheart one fits well in the top or bottom of the dishwasher and holds a fair amount of bottle parts.


• Pack and play - I have this permanently set up downstairs. I used it for naps initially when I was trying to get Cameron to distinguish night from day. But now she is napping in her crib so I use it primarily for it's changing table feature. We have two floors so it is critical to have a separate changing table downstairs. It breaks down fairly compactly and it much easier to transport than a regular crib. If you get the Pack and Play, make sure you get the one that has the bassinet and changing table features.


• Diaper Champ - I call out the brand on this one because the Diaper Champ takes regular garbage bags. Some other brands require you to buy their bags which can be a pain.


• Cleaning agent and bucket - Cameron is the queen of diaper blowouts. My favorite was the time she as feeding and pooped through her clothes, mine and on the Boppy. Good times. If we didn't have a cheap plastic bucket and some variation of OxyClean (whatever is on sale at BJs) we would be throwing out a lot of clothes. I use the cheap 5 gallon bucket you can find at any home improvement store and keep in next to the washing machine. Fill it up with some hot water, add the cleaner and clothes and they can wait until the next time I do laundry. No need to wash right away!


• Symphony-in-Motion mobile - similar to the toybar on the bouncer and the playmat it took about 6 weeks before Cameron started noticing and responding to the mobile. I like this brand in particular because the music plays for 15 minutes and the toys are big enough for her to see clearly.


• Glider - we were fortunate to get a used glider and ottoman (also glides) from DH's brother and sister-in-law. This is critical for late night feedings, whether you breastfeed or not. I've also started using it when Cameron is fussy during naps to try and calm her down and put her back to sleep now that she naps in her crib upstairs. My ottoman has a nursing stool attached to it that I use frequently. Target sells a very reasonably priced glider and ottoman set.


• Nursing stool - this could be useful for bottle fed babies as well. I find it gives me the leverage I need to prop Cameron's head up slightly and make feeding her more comfortable for me. Since I have the nursing stool on the ottoman I keep the stand alone one downstairs.


• Breast pump - it was completely worth it to spend a significant amount of money on a breast pump, especially because I will return to work full time. I bought the Medela Pump In Style Advance and it has worked great for me. If you want to read my review of it, you can find it here.

Things you don't need to buy because you will get a million of them:

• Bibs - lots of 4 or 5 piece outfits come with bibs. I think we have about 10 and that's on top of the ones we bought ourselves. So no need to register or buy any yourself. Once we start solid foods we will get some plastic ones.


• Small burp clothes - similar issue to bibs. Plus I've already advised about using cloth diapers for this purpose.


• Caps - we never really used caps on Cameron but if we needed to, we receive about 20 as gifts. Again, no need to register.

Adventures in babysitting

I am in the process of trying to find a babysitter for a couple of hours a week. It wouldn't be anything regular, more of an ad hoc arrangement. I posted to my moms' group and received a couple of offers from other moms to babysit Cameron. These moms have children of their own (just one in each case) and would come over with that child to watch Cameron. Has anyone every done this arrangement before? I was thinking of a more traditional babysitting arrangement but obviously these moms are qualified. Please weigh in with your thoughts on my situation. Should I give it a try or instead focus my search on a high school or college student? What has your experience been?

Finding the right breast pump

For almost a month now I have been using a hospital grade rental breast pump. Specifically the Medela Symphony 2.0 breast pump. And it has been wonderful. I only pump 3 times a day but will be pumping more when I return to work. Which, by the way, is creeping up far too quickly! It takes me about 15 minutes (really 10 but I try to eek out more) to pump 3-5 ounces depending on how much she feeds beforehand.

The rental is about $70 a month so it doesn't make economic sense for me to keep it since I plan to breastfeed for a year. With that in mind I have decided to purchase a breast pump of my own. The one recommended by my hospital is the Medela Pump In Style Advanced Breast Pump. I like that it has two distinct modes, let-down and expression, because that is what the Symphony does as well. I heard it is noisier than the Symphony but hopefully it isn't that much louder.

Before I run out and spend almost $300, I was wondering if I should be considering any other breast pumps? Keep in mind that I have been spoiled by a hospital grade pump so far so I will be very picky!

One other issue I will comment on in this breastfeeding post is that I am still using a nipple shield. Yes, it is my crutch and I just can't let it go! Cameron has a bad habit of tucking her bottom lip in while feeding which doesn't allow for a very good latch without the shield. I can nurse her for a couple of minutes without it and then we both get frustrated and on the shield goes. Any advice from other breastfeeding moms who have encountered this? Is waiting until she's a bit older a bad thing?

Boredom

As of today I officially have 9 weeks to go until my due date. And I'm totally bored. Yup, I am struggling to come up with doing something fun and interesting this weekend. Anyone have ideas? At this point they don't even have to be good!

I'd love to go baby stuff shopping but my mom is throwing me a baby shower in 3 weeks so I should really wait until after then. The nursery is almost done, we cleaned the house last weekend and I'm saving a couple of really good books until closer to delivery. There's always the 40 hours or so of TV I've got on my DVR but shockingly it is not appealing.

I am trying to enjoy the last 9 weekends (give or take) without a baby to obsess about. So for those of you who are already parents, what do you recommend I indulge in for the next few weekends?

New food addictions

I wouldn't call these food cravings, per se, but I have discovered some new foods recently that have gone on my "must" list. I am a notoriously picky eater so any time I like a new food or food product it's a pleasant surprise.

• Vitamin Water - DH picked up a few of these for our trip up North over the holidays. I love them! My favorites are lemonade and kiwi strawberry. I would seriously have them every day if they didn't cost around $1 each. I am often bored by just drinking water. DH can go through 8+ glass a day, but not me. I need a little something to punch it up. Going the juice route is just extra calories. With Vitamin Water the flavor to water quotient is perfect and I'm getting vitamins and no calories. Perfect!


• Healthy Choice Fresh Mixers - I clipped a coupon for these a few months ago but my grocery store only started carrying them recently. If you are having trouble finding them check the pasta/rice aisle or the soup aisle. They are a little extra work than a typical microwavable meal but totally worth it. Somehow Healthy Choice figured out how to get al dente pasta out of a microwave. My favorite is the zesty marinara. Now, they are a little pricey ($3) but the perfect amount of food when combined with a salad. Talk about a nice healthy lunch!


• Naan - from the grocery store, no less! I have to admit this one is kind of a cheat. I have always loved naan but only get it when we infrequently go out for Indian food. But when we were up North I discovered International Fabulous Flats™ Tandoori Naan in my mom's grocery store. No need to have a special oven or spend hours making your own dough (not that I would), just pop in the oven with some olive oil for a few minutes and it tastes almost exactly like what you get in the restaurant. Now if only they carried it at my grocery store...the website claims that Harris Teeter does but I haven't seen it yet. DH and I make Indian food all the time. Just cut up some chicken and add the premade Tandoori or Curry sauces found in the international aisle. We usually add chickpeas for a little extra veggies.

DH and I are trying to add to our regular mix of dinners as well. So if anyone has recommendations, please let me know. We are much more chicken people than other types of meat so chicken recipes in particular are welcome.

Why pregnant women waddle

I was walking through the halls of my office the other day thinking to myself, "Nice! You are walking totally normally. No waddle yet!" The scientific reason that pregnant women start waddling is because our hips start to separate to facilitate labor. Kind of gross when you think about it. But I disagree. I started waddling yesterday for one very specific reason: back pain. Yes, I have experienced my first back ache in conjunction with the pregnancy.

I have always poo-pooed people who complain about back pain. Suck it up! It can't be that bad! Well, yes, in fact it can. And to think, for me, it has only been my lower back. I ended up going to bed at 8 PM last night because I couldn't find a comfortable position watching TV. Pathetic. And of course I don't want to take any pain medication. Oh no. I'm tougher than that! Or I will be until labor sets in and DH will be responsible for getting me the good drugs.

The waddle comes about because I can't really straighten up fully (although my mom would argue that I never really walk with a straight back). I know that the pain was caused by sitting at my computer all day, leaning forward. So I'm on a mission to do better while at work. First up, sitting up straight. I've moved my keyboard towards me so I don't have to reach as far. I have also promised myself that every hour I will get up and do a lap around the floor. Lame but it serves the dual purpose of stretching and an excuse to stop and talk to people. It should get the circulation going and keep me from agony after 9 hours in front of the computer.

I'm better this morning and very glad that my sleep was not interrupted by back pain. I was woken up by dreams of bugs attacking my husband, but that's another story.

Any other suggestions?

Clear skin at last

I was very disappointed to find out that clear skin is not every mother's gift. Instead, if you were likely to break out during regular cycles you will continue to do so throughout pregnancy. So basically over the past 21 weeks I have had to battle blemishes. Most of them are probably due to the massive amounts of ice cream and chocolate I've been ingesting but even accounting for that I've had far too many. I am also lacking the luxurious hair that so many other pregnant women get, but that's another story. Thank goodness the pre-natal vitamins have given me really healthy nails!

Over the past two weeks I have experimented with a new skin care regime that has been paying off dividends. I have been blemish free for those two weeks and hope it will continue. What is different? Moisturizing in the evenings.

My morning routine hasn't varied: gel daily facial cleanser and daily SPF moisturizer. I switched to a RoC moisturizer about 6 months ago. Specifically RoC Age Diminishing Daily Moisturizer SPF 15. It retails for about $15 for a 3 oz bottle. When I turned 30 I decided that the increasing laugh lines requires "Age Diminishing." I'll probably dump the gel cleanser once it runs out because really, who needs two cleansers?

The big change has been adding an evening routine. Even if I don't wear make-up (never do on weekends and the number of days during the week is creeping up) I still wash with a cream cleanser. I picked up L'Oreal RevitaLift Radiant Smoothing Cream Cleanser, a steal at $7 for 5 oz. The cream based cleanser works just as well as the gel one but feels a lot gentler on my skin. I then use Neutrogena's Visibly Firm Night Cream product at a pricier $17 a jar.

The extra cleansing and moisturizer application has resulted in the clearest skin I've had in years. I'll let you know if the routine stops working but I'm very hopeful it will last at least through the winter. Anyone else have tricks or tips for great looking skin?