With some good weather upon us here in Bethesda, Maryland, my daughter and I went to Target earlier this week and purchased a Cosco Juvenile Altura stroller. It cost about fifty dollars and was middle of the road in terms of price.
It took about fifteen minutes to assemble, which was a little bit less time required compared to the Graco stroller I’d put together in the past.
Here’s a picture of the completed product:
Review
I’ve taken two longs walks with this stroller and it works fine for me. The handle grips are a little lower quality than I wanted. I doubt that they will last very long, but handle grips are not essential and are relatively easy to replace or do without. The wheels work fine and one thing I like about this stroller as opposed to the Graco I’ve used before is that the foot brakes don’t lock when accidentally kicked while walking.
My daughter seems comfortable enough, though she can’t talk yet so I’ll have to wait to ask her what she thinks of the stroller!
One thing that isn’t directly related to the function of the stroller that bothered me was the strong chemical smell that emitted from the unit components after I opened the box. The smell I’m talking about is the “new car smell” which some people like, but is considered by some to be toxic. I realize that plastics are a cheap way for manufacturers to produce durable goods, but if they put our health at risk, is it worth it?
Expecting our second baby in a couple of months has launched me on a search for which bottle we’ll use this time. I am hoping to nurse for the first year again, but I need something to bridge my absence. Last time, gulp, we used Avent, having no idea 3 years ago they were laden with BPA. They have since changed the composition to be BPA free. I am so irked by the whole BPA issue and that I used those bottles with warmed milk, no less, but I have to remember 90% of the time she was nursed so I can’t beat myself up over it.
Anyway, I am reading lots of reviews on the great and growing number of BPA free choices we have now. (amazing what 3 years can do) I am aware that the baby might not like my first choice but I want to start with one that come with high safety reviews (on testing for chemicals that is), easy usability, least leaky, etc. then if the baby needs a new style we’ll take it from there. I really want ones that are BPA, phthalate and PVC free.
Here is what I have narrowed it down to at this point…
Born Free
Green to Grow
Medela
ThinkBaby
and the new BPA free versions of Avent
and Dr. Brown’s
.
I am so happy to say that not only are there more bottles coming on the market, but the manufacturers of many traditional brands are switching due to consumer demand. Ah, sometimes the greater population does have a voice…
And glass bottle options are, as usual, BPA free. I think we are going to skip them though because I really don’t like the idea of broken glass. (My daughter dropped bottles enough for me to feel like we would have broke many)
The SafeMama BPA free cheat sheet
Great BPA free bottle comparison chart from Soft Landing
Another fantastic guide from Soft Landing/Squidoo
Every winter my daughter starts scratching, dry winter skin is back. Her skin gets so dry, especially on her back. At 3 she’ll ask me to scratch her back for her, “a little up, a little to the edge”. I hate to do it because, while I know it feels good for a moment its is making it more sore in the end. While I don’t use much on her throughout the year, every winter I have turned to my two favorites to help combat the itching- California Baby Calendula Cream and Weleda Calendula Cream
. This winter, I found we were out of California Baby and had a little Weleda left, and everywhere I went (3 different stores) they were out! I ended up having order more online. I guess everyone is battling with dry skin right now!
The first winter it happened, she was a newborn, and her cheeks were chapped and her back had little spots of dry skin. I asked her doctor and he said just use Aquaphor. That got us thru the first winter but I wasn’t so sure about putting a petroleum product all over her skin. The next year I bought Weleda Calendula Cream, and it seemed to help quite a bit but it was a little greasy. I went back to Whole Foods and tried California Baby Calendula Cream. (I had been using a calendula gel for years for cuts, sunburns and scrapes on myself, found it worked really well in healing, so I was attracted to the products with that in it). It was great, I applied it before bed and there was a huge difference overnight and on two days it was gone.
While I use California Baby all over her back, I put the Weleda cream on really bad spots, elbows and knees. I find a little every other day keeps her skin without any dry spots. Both products unfortunately register with some low to moderate hazard at Skin Deep, but they work well and until there is a safer one that works just as well or better, I’ll have to stick with them.
You might have always had a picky eater on your hands, or maybe its a new thing for your normally eat-everything toddler. Either way it can be frustrating to ask what your little one what she wants to eat and the response is same thing they had for breakfast and lunch or turn their nose at everything you suggest or worse- you make. A few months ago we started to see this, my daughter had been a very diverse eater- from a great array of veggies and fruits right down to a big variety of ethnic foods. But we are witnessing a pull back- an apprehension to try new foods as well as a rejection of some old favorites. So we’ve been employing some new tricks and recipes, mostly good old fashion smoke and mirrors, to hopefully keep variety in her diet. I think back to the kids I baby-sat for in high school that ate hot dogs every night and am going to fight that kind of scenario all the way.
One good book I found a help is The Toddler Café by Jennifer Carden. Her approach, “fast, healthy and fun…” and the book is full of recipes that reflect that mantra. It is not so much like The Sneaky Chef
, (another good one) which adds more nutritious ingredients to recipes, but more so a think out side of the box look at feeding a picky toddler. The recipes are simple, but apply fun and involvement as part of the toddler eating experience. There are recipe notes about where to get something or how to store or freeze, recipe variations (incase your kido is really against some implemented ingredient!) and tips on how to get them involved or to eat it. Ever thought about a grilled cheese made in a waffle iron? That is likely to impress a tough customer toddler. Sticky rice balls with carrots and beets mixed in- they will at least be curious (hopefully enough to sample). There are many more like this.
Prior to finding this book we were using some of these fun-type approaches that worked great. Cutting sandwiches in triangles or with cookie cutters, presenting a smorgasbord of dipping foods with hummus (toddlers love to dip), fruit dipped in yogurt, arranging food in different and unexpected ways. Think basic but fun. But if you’re stumped like many others, you and your toddler might find Jennifer Carden’s creative ideas inspiring enough to eat!
See a sample of what’s inside the book!
Winter is upon us (in case you missed it!). And well as we all know days might be shorter, but some days at home with bored babies and toddlers can feel very long. We live in the northeast so sometimes there is no chance of even taking a walk on a very blustery day. So every winter since my daughter was walking we’ve registered for a class or two to make sure we have something to do to mix up our week. For the last, nearly two and a half years we’ve done Music Together and Gym Cubs.
Music Together is a nationwide music program for babies, toddlers and young children. Most children listen to music at home and in the car, like we do, but Music Together does a lot to get them to pay attention to rhythm, learn to carry a tune and use different instruments. Parents are expected to participate with their children so be prepared to sing a long!
Gym Cubs is a local gymnastics program for us that is walking to 3, and Gym Bears 3-6. It is great for teaching coordination, confidence and learning to participate with a group- especially waiting waiting your turn. Call your local gymnastics gym to see if they offer any baby or toddler classes or go online to find a YMCA near you. Many Y’s will offer not only some sort of tumbling gymnastics class but swimming with a parent as well. There is also The Little Gym which has locations in many states with all sorts of physical offerings for infants all the way to 12 yr olds. Itsy Bitsy Yoga- if your lucky to have one near you, is a great bonding and physical activity for you and your little one. We have a gap near us where they are unfortunately no yoga offerings for the 2-4 yr old crowd… so we do our downward dog together in the living room for now.
Storytime! Yes, a great way to spend a boring rainy or chilly day. Many libraries and small bookstores offer storytime. Even little babies will enjoy it. We use to go, when we could find a seat! Our neighborhood branch had a very popular storytime. Go and your little one will likely enjoy hearing someone else read for a change.
Find a Music Together location.
Other music programs include Kindermusik and Gymboree.
Also see Gymboree Play and Learn for activities.
Find a library or check with your local bookstore to see if they offer storytime.
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