Reflections on 2nd Baby's 1st Year: What Was Really Used

My little F has celebrated her first birthday. She's already walking. Started at 10 months old. Younger than her big brother T.

Meanwhile my very close friend, their Aunt M, is expecting her first at the end of spring. We're all so excited. Just wish they lived closer than a 17/18 hr drive. Seeing them busily prepare for their first bundle of joy (and that spell check keeps wanting to capitalize joy!) started me thinking about what was useful and what wasn't with our second baby. So here goes!

Arms Reach Bedside Sleeper- I am such a fan! As we didn't want to bedshare this was the best compromise. The sleeper attaches to the side of the bed. We could reach over and touch F while sleeping or roll over to nurse/change diapers. We've used this with two babies so far and I'm use if we're blessed with a third will use it again. Age used: newborn-5 months

Crib: ok, this is a tricky one. I am a huge fan of Montessori style floor beds. With T when we switched him to a Montessori floor bed it made a huge difference. You totally childproof a room and put a mattress on the floor. No fall hazards and baby can entertain himself instead of crying first thing upon waking. We'd planned on a floor bed with F too. But we ended up getting a long-term houseguest in her future room and I didn't want to also lose the guest room. So while she's sleeping in our room she's in a crib. We bought a convertible. Eventually it will become the bedstead for the guest bedroom. Age: 5months +

Playpen: first child unnecessary. One story house unnecessary. Older child or two story house useful.
We really didn't use a play yard with T. The house was child proofed.

Swing/bouncer: can be useful is the right circumstances. Generally however a carrier can do the same thing. We did occasionally use the bouncer. It was nice occasionally to put baby down in something that still had motion. But it's so easy to rely on it! Overall though it's not a priority and was used for weeks in all. A swing might be more fun in all. Now an outdoor swing on the other hand that's useful!

Jumperoo/ Exosaucer- fun for a couple months. Entertainment for while working with your older kid on math or phonics. But really?  I want it out of my house. For the cost and space why bother?

Tummy Time Mat- Babies seem to hate tummy time. These mats may seem silly but in my experience they are worthwhile.  The key is the bright mini boppy. Much smaller than a standard nursing pillow it is the perfect height to prop baby on stomach for tummy time. Both babies found tummy time more tolerable using it.

Happy First Birthday!

Yesterday was F's birthday.  She's one year old. I'm so happy!  What a blessing this little girl has been in our lives.

Winter, Cold, and Points of View

When I was a child winter didn't really seem like winter.

Chill rains would fall. Frost paint rooftops. Brown leaves clinging to the random deciduous tree branch or mixed in with pine straw  on the ground crunched underfoot or glistened as they were held stiff with frosty ice crystals. The rising sun turned them into a soggy mess. By the time the last leaves fell in February the new ones were beginning to bud as the air warmed.

Snow didn't usually accompany cold snaps. Flurries were a huge event when they occured. Every few years a dusting or a little more would fall. Or a light sleet. More often though still not every year an ice storm would strike a crippling blow. Every winter we'd get heavy rain, even severe thunderstorms, as the fronts dug down toward the southern coast.  After clearing the area (& the air! It left the sky so blue!) dry cold air would remain.

At least it was cold for there. I learned early on the cold like manners was somewhat relative to where you lived. People complained if the highs were in the 40s. I'd laugh. It's invigorating I thought. Cold weather encouraged me to be more active than on those sticky summer days when you'd be drenched in sweat after taking the trash down the driveway.

No. When I was a child winter was something you visited on vacation.  Read about in books ("The Long Winter" seemed so exciting!). It was the American childhood experience assumed in Christmas songs, tv, and movies. To me but a dream.

My sister and I turned the song White Christmas into a joke.

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas
Just like the ones I've never known...

We'd sing every year.

My children see winter differently.

Here snowplows are a common sight. Here you see salt for sidewalks sold next to gas pumps at the station. Everyone owns a snow shovel or two or even a snowblower. Streets are salted regularly. If you are a small child without a sled that's quite unusual.

Over the holidays we visited loved ones in Arizona, Texas, and Tennessee. T was convinced it was still fall in TX because the leaves were still falling from the trees, coating the grass. To him winter is not just a time of year. Winter means snow. Snow means winter.

It's all a matter of perspective.

Delicious no bake snack

T had so much fun making this snack. We will be doing it more often. It's a little messy to make so aprons are useful. Sticky too so a wet washcloth to wipe fingers/faces after you mix it up was a must. It was so simple though. Filling and fun. Plus since he could do it himself (with supervision or help if you choose to microwave the nut butters) he enjoyed it all the more. Haven't you noticed making food yourself improves the taste?

 What we did: Put some peanut and almond butter in a bowl. Microwave with a teaspoon of honey for a few seconds. Mix. Mash a banana in the mixture. Add in some cocoa powder and oats or cheerios. 

Form into balls. Roll in more dark cocoa powder. Wrap each ball in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to grab a quick snack. 

There were two variations T created. One used rolled oats and the other cheerios. Next time we're going to try it with Uncle Sam Cereal.

Baby Babbles: All I Can Fit In My First Year

Comparing my two children is unfair.  T was much more talkative while F morev physical.  T was cautious.  F is daring. T observant. F is either solemn or smiley and laughing.  Now F is trying to fit all she can in her first year.

When T took his first steps it was around his first birthday.  She took hers before Christmas.  At 10 months. There's been no going back. No crawling. He gradually decreased crawling and increased walking over a couple months. F? Instant walker.



Now at 11 months she's cutting molars. Working on teeth 9 & 10. She has rejected soft foods like yogurt, oatmeal, etc in favor of finger food. So here I have food pouches in the cupboard for snacks and who is asking to eat them? T. Not baby F. Such a different child.