sandelion23's Xanga

Highchair and side question

Tue, 29 Dec 2009 23:43:09 GMT

We initially liked the Stokke but the no-tray thing is a bit of a dealbreaker. My cousin highly recommends the $25 Ikea highchair. Which one did you go with? Thanks.

UPDATE:
Ok, so now I really like either the pricey Svan with all its bells and whistles or it's cheaper and simpler cousin, the Anka.

With cushion = $300

JPMA safety certified
Convertible high chair adjusts to fit infants through adults
Solid birch wood
Quick snap-on tray
Safety guard opens with the twist of a knob
3-point safety harness
Seat adjusts both vertically and horizontally
Fits easily under most tables
Cushion available as a separate accessory
2 year warranty

With cushion = $180

Adjustable seat, tray and footrest - ergonomic support for your growing child
Converts to a booster for a child at least 6 months old and up to 5 years or 50 pounds
3-point safety harness
Removable, dishwasher-safe plastic tray cover that is phthalate-free and bisphenol-A free
Folds easy for storage
Machine-washable PBDE-free cushion included, with additional cushions sold separately
JPMA /ASTM safety certified, with a 2 year manufacturer's warranty

Since the Svan adjusts and holds up to 250 lbs, it's technically a "chair for life" but does that really justify the hefty price tag? PLEASE WEIGH IN! Thanks.

Oh yeah and while I have your attention, I have one more question: I'm 32 weeks now and I thought I would feel the baby less as he got bigger and more cramped but I feel more and more. I seriously feel and can see his every move ALL THE TIME. I feel everything! Will it be this way until the end? Do I just have a super active baby? Thanks again!

Name Reveal

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 21:36:59 GMT

Did you reveal your baby's name to people before birth?

A Quick Look Back

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 02:36:49 GMT

I haven't been pregnancy blogging but I have been trying to remember to take a bump picture once a week. Here's a quick complication of some of the better ones (mirror self-portraits are so tricky).

Week 4 - We found out we're preggers!

Week 8 - The bulge begins.

Week 13 - Bump or bloat? Probably bloat.

Week 16 - Hello little baby bump.

Week 20 - Hello Official Baby Bump!

Week 25 - OMG SOCCER BALL!

We're now 26 weeks and feeling great.

2009 ING Marathon

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 23:39:23 GMT

It was so much more fun to watch the marathon this year with friends and family. Last year it was just lone me running around to catch Stinky. This year we started with a breakfast marathon party at a friend's place in Brooklyn. His awesome apartment was right on the corner where the two different waves ran off the Verrazano Bridge and converged.

Here we are anxiously waiting on 4th Ave in Brooklyn. I rang my cow bell so much that day my finger was sore.

Finally we see Stinky run by.

To everyone's surprise, he breaks out of line and runs in for a quick picture and kisses me on the belly before dashing off.

My cousin Judith and I then drove to the city and had to bust our asses to get to the ING bleachers in time to see everyone finish.

Here's Stinky at the Mile 19 fuel station.

Here's Stinky a few feet from the finish line.

THE ELITE THREE - Danny, Judith's husband, her sister-in-law, the amazing Rosemarie and Stinky. Don't they look great for having just run a marathon?

I hope you can get a good idea of how big my bump is. I am 24 weeks now but I've been getting a lot of comments that I look bigger than 24 weeks. For all the mamas out there - how do I compare?

Happy Halloween!

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 01:45:19 GMT

A certain crack ho I happen to love challenged me to a pumpkin carving throw-down this year. I really wanted to rise to the occasion and show her who's boss but my current situation ie. the mini pumpkin I am carrying made things a little harder this time. Alas, here are my entries:

Happy Halloween everyone!!

Baby Registry

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 16:39:07 GMT

How did you mamas figure out what to register for? Did you use a guideline or website of some kind or just advice from friends? Thanks!

ADDENDUM: Ok xanga mamas - here are some of my questions (feel free to suggest other things!):

Stroller:

We went through a full demo at BuyBuyBaby and felt that the Uppababy had the most bang for its buck. The Stokke was a contender but having to buy the bassinet at an additional cost (and only briefly using it) kinda killed the deal. We also considered the Quinny but it is heavier, does not come with a bassinet and will not accommodate a second child (yes! thinking of that already). I love that the Uppababy folds easily, has a large storage basket and comes with a fully loaded bassinet. Any other thoughts to consider?

Car Seat:

Is it ok to buy an infant car seat now and buy another toddler one later or is it better to buy a convertible now? We like the Graco SnugRide but mostly because of its color/print options. Any favorites?

Swing/Bouncer:

We did not see a Swing/Bouncer combination that went forwards/backwards and side-to-side. Maybe I'm asking for too much? Did you buy a separate swing and bouncer? Again, any favorites?

Breastpump:

Medela Freestyle Hands-free Double pump with the tote bag. I was instantly sold. Should I consider any others?

Cribs:

We would like a convertible but nothing too pricey or fancy. Just solid looking is fine. They all look the same. What a headache haha.

Diaper bags:

Is this just personal preference? Which ones are better - totes, messengers or those gigantic weekender types?

THANKS A MILLION!!!

Surprise!

Mon, 12 Oct 2009 21:56:48 GMT

UPDATE: Thanks everyone!! I am 21 weeks and will be due Valentine's Day. We are having a boy!

Stinky and I are currently in Jamaica celebrating our third wedding anniversary. We're staying at the Iberostar Grand Rose Hall and this is the view from our balcony:

In addition to our anniversary, this trip is also a BABYMOON for us!

All photos by Stinky.

WWYD?

Thu, 16 Jul 2009 16:16:15 GMT

Stinky and I have been talking about upgrading our bed. We currently sleep on a full size. That is right. We are two married adults that sleep on a full size. What can I say, Stinky likes to cuddle.

Recently his mom offered us a spare king-sized mattress they have. The story is that Stinky's uncle bought a top-of-the-line king mattress two years ago and decided after a few weeks that it made his back feel horrible. He bought a new one and when the delivery people came to get the old one, they realized that the original delivery men somehow fucked up the alignment of the "blinds" on the base of the bed which resulted in a big hole. For weeks, his uncle's back had no support underneath the mattress. Since there was nothing actually wrong with the mattress, he gave it to Stinky's parents. Stinky's parents however, have a king-size tempur-pedic so they just stored the mattress under their bed (on the floor). It has been there for two years. Their house is very clean.

They recently pulled it out for some visiting relatives but I only caught a quick glimpse at its condition. I have to say that I did spy 1 or 2 small (tear drop size) stains and an overall dingy color. This may be due to the fact that I am used to seeing our bright sorta peach colored mattress and this one is a kind of dull gray color.

So my question is - the thing is free, top quality and has not really been used - would you take it?

DIY Felt Pincushions

Thu, 28 May 2009 02:10:30 GMT

Last week, I made myself a pincushion using some left over felt I had. Without any real direction, I added some flowers and tested out some embroidery stitches I learned from watching random tutorials I googled. I thought it came out pretty nice for a first attempt with no real plan:

Stinky mentioned my little project to my in-laws this weekend and my FIL asked me to make him one. When Stinky moved out, they turned his bedroom into a sewing room and my FIL custom makes all of their poodle, Charlie's clothes (no joke, they are awesome). I was so excited to get my first request and worked on it all this week. To help with the embroidery, I picked up this 4" inch ring from Pearl Paint for only $.64. I also bought some more embroidery floss (currently buy 1 get one 50% off) for less than $.50 a skein. Since it was for my FIL, I didn't use any flowers and tried to pick "manly" colors but really, how manly can a pincushion be? Here is my finished product:

(yes, these were taken in the fridge for the lighting!)

The letters on the top of the pincushion are embroidered with a basic chain stitch.

The top and bottom are sewn to the side band with a blanket stitch.

The eyes and wings of the birds are sewn using french knots and the "branch" is sewn with a cable chain stitch with two colors. The music notes are a combination of a french knot and some basic stitches.

The bird on the bottom piece is sewn with a basic stitch and french knots for the eyes and on the wing.

The 4" ring.

The side band.

The little gal on the bottom.

All the different colors used.

All it's puffy goodness.

I hope he likes it!