Domestic Bliss Report

Motherhood is hard work. If we don't stick together, we'll all fall apart.

Monday, August 06, 2007

Humor me.

On the blue font more than anything. Is my enthusiasm showing?

I'm mulling things we need for little Louis (yes, we already have a name--it's after my dad). We tossed our car seat after Rachel outgrew it since the five-year warranty had expired, so we need a new one of those. And when I got our Boppy--which is a story unto itself--they didn't have slipcovers for them.
[The story is this. I got home from the hospital with Madeleine on a Saturday and realized there were still some things I needed. I sent him, alone but list in hand, to Babies R Us. A very kind grandmotherly lady noticed his confusion and almost literally took him by the hand. That's when we got the Boppy, lanolin, original wipes warmer...]

I've heard that your "baby shower" for your third is when friends show up and carry things away and there's a certain amount of wisdom in that. We're almost three years past that and it hasn't happened (yet). But our monitor is almost six years old. One of the handsets hasn't worked in quite a while, and this is a nice reason to get a new one. I intend to keep one in the kids' room until they suspect something.
We will be donating/selling our humongous swing, since SuperShelly found a much smaller one at a garage sale.

I'm looking for Extremely Practical Advice on what to get. I know, diapers. We're up to our eyeballs in bibs, though I wonder with children if one can ever really have too many of those. I've never needed formula so that's out, but a new bottle scrubber would be good. Those little brushes work so well with sippy valves!
Forget pacifiers, too. Madeleine would take one for about five minutes, Dale not at all, and we didn't bother to try with Rachel. Though Lucy the dog liked them...

Anyway. Comments open and appreciated.

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8 Comments:

At 3:50 AM, Blogger HISchild said...

Blankets, onsies, more zippered lingerie bags for even smaller socks!

Diaper genie with liner refills?

CONGRATS!

Ellen

 
At 4:08 AM, Blogger Barb Szyszkiewicz said...

No, forget the diaper genie. We got a Diaper Champ with #3 and boy do I wish that thing had been invented 10 years before. It was terrific. Plus it took regular trash can bags so we didn't have to subsidize Diaper Genie for the next 3 years.

By this time you might be wanting a new stroller or high chair; those things see a lot of use & wear. If I could do it over I'd skip the high chair and go with one of those "strap it to the regular chair" booster seats with dishwasher-ready tray. We got one after we'd already invested in the space-hogging high chair.

Congratulations! I love the name. Considered it, but it just didn't work with my last name (so many things don't)

 
At 7:22 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Congratulations!

We just had to ditch our expired infant carseat. It was sad to see it sitting at the curb and thinking about how we used it to bring each child into our home for the first time. We had the Graco Snugride, but I think next time I'll get the one with the funky-looking handle that allows you to carry it at a not-so-awkward angle (the handle has a kink in it so you can carry it more like a suitcase).

I have a similar Babies R Us story. I had a lot of trouble nursing my first child and the lactation consultant suggested I get a manual pump and pump off a little milk so that baby would have an easier time latching on. Off my husband went to Babies R Us. The new dad found himself, 15 minutes before store closing time, staring down the foreign universe that is the breast pump aisle. He managed to wade his way through the aisle and pick up the exact pump I wanted, and with 1 minute to spare. He could've used the grandmotherly type to help him, I think.

 
At 5:39 PM, Blogger Milehimama @ Mama Says said...

About the pacifier - my number 2 and number 7 boys wouldn't do without them. #1, 4, 5, and 6 could have cared less.

I ditched the diaper genie when I had 3 in diapers. When you have to change the darn thing everyday it becomes more trouble than it's worth.

One thing I have with number 6 and 7 is a tabletop size bouncy seat that vibrates. I use it a lot - to 'rescue' the baby from the kids, or when I'm making dinner, etc. It's so much easier to put him on the table. Also a cradle swing found at a garage sale.

I use the velcro bibs from the time they are an infant on. I consider it a burping cloth/nursing leak catcher that conveniently ties around the neck.

I totally agree with the booster/tray. 10 years, 7 kids, and I've never had a "real" highchair. Bonus: the whole darn thing can go in the dishwasher.

I also love the flocked waterproof pads (made for crib mattresses). Great for ME to sleep on so I don't puddle the mattress or if baby spits up while nursing in bed!

 
At 7:31 PM, Blogger Heather said...

We never had a Diaper Genie, for the reasons mentioned: expensive refills and inconvenience at changing it. I learned that one from my sister. We just got one that used regular kitchen bags, but not the Champ.
I'm thinking about ditching the whole "diaper pail" idea and just tossing wet ones in the trash, poopy ones in supermarket bags and then trash. Mulling that.

We started right out with a booster seat, too. I'm the dishwasher in our house, so periodically I pull it off the chair and hose it off, but it takes up MUCH LESS SPACE. Rachel's first seat actually clamped on to the table since her siblings were still using the boosters.

And velcro or pullover bibs are the only way to go. Who has time to tie anything?

Thanks for all, and keep it coming!

 
At 8:16 AM, Blogger Catherine said...

We ditched the Diaper Genie for a regular trash can in the kitchen with a lid. We double-bag the poopy diapers sometimes, but with cooking meals and junk mail, etc., it fills up so fast and then gets taken out that we don't even notice a smell.

My sister just switched (about to have her third in 4 years) to cloth diapers, and she's totally sold. Since you have a clothesline (the only thing that prevents me from switching), you might be able to think about it... She loves Cotton Babies. I've also looked into Blueberry.

I also vote for the strap-on booster seat. We usually switch our kids at a year, when I get sick of cleaning out the high chair. Very economical, and mine disassembles for cleaning!

I can't use velcro, because by three months my kids have figured out how to pull them off. As a result, I have stained onesies and bibs in perfect condition. Argh! Of course, if you use the ones that tie, you just get constant screaming!

Wonderful news, of course!

 
At 9:28 AM, Blogger Heather said...

Catherine--Yes, I have a clothesline, but I live in Michigan. I can only use it regularly four or five months a year. It's always a big day for me when I can hang the laundry outside!

 
At 12:19 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Crikey! Are you supposed to ditch your child seats?? The one we're using for number 5 was used with all the others, starting almost 11 years ago.

(I am deliberately ignoring this post from now on... I am turning a blind eye... maybe things are different here in Oz...)

 

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