My Mom Toolbox/Bookshelf

Now that I am on my (most likely) last child, I have found all of the books that help me be a better parent. You know how they say that kids don't come with an instruction manual? Well, I think this list of books is really close to being the perfect pregnancy and parenting instruction manual for me!

Planning Your Pregnancy and Birth

This is the best pregnancy book I have ever read. It was produced by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. I love to have books written by people who have researched and know the most about a topic. I wish I had had this book when I was pregnant with all of my children, instead of just Doodle. It is a really informative and helpful guide to know what is normal, and what is not. I also have the "What to Expect..." books, and I don't like them. They always gave me things to be paranoid about. This book is very straightforward and organized well.

Nursing Mother's Companion

Breastfeeding is difficult at first and remains that way for many people. I'd recommend this book and you should start reading it before you have your baby and keep it close by for the first couple of months. It is amazing! I think I would have been able to nurse my first baby for a lot longer if I'd had this book!

Babywearing

Okay, so this isn't so much a book as a way to help take care of kids. I found this when Princess was about 18 months old, so I got to carry her around a bit. She is actually still small enough, so this summer, we may still use them for her. I don't carry Doodle around in a carrier all the time, but when I know we're going to be walking around a lot, I do. I love my Mei Tai ("May Tie")! It is so nice to have her so close. Shopping is wonderful and I don't have to carry a heavy car seat everywhere we go!

Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child

No matter how old your kids are, go read this book! It is the best book I have read about sleep. The author teaches why sleep is so important and tells you what to do to make sure your child gets enough quality sleep. I read a little of this book when I was pregnant with Princess and she was a lot better sleeper than Indy, still is! Now, Doodle is a great sleeper. We are still working on night time, but she puts herself to sleep so well! It makes life so much better!

From Baby to Toddler

Again, I like this one better than the "What to expect..." books that I also got. It goes through each month and helps you to know what your child may be doing and how to play with him or her to get them to their full potential.

Diaper Free Before 3

This book is what gave me the confidence to get Princess out of diapers. It is written by a pediatrician and mother of three. She talks a lot about why we potty train the way we do and how it is completely wrong. She says that waiting until the child is "ready" is a bad idea. Instead, she says to start putting your child on a potty when they are six months old. You don't expect them to do anything at that age but get used to it as a normal part of life. Then, at one year old, you get them out of disposable diapers and into cotton underwear. It may sound crazy, but I am going to try it with Doodle. With Princess, it is a little different, but I just get her to "go" every couple of hours. After three weeks, she sometimes tells me when she needs to go. There are still accidents, but it is working! Go read this book!

Supernanny: How to get the Best from your Children

So, this one isn't written by a doctor or anything, but I really like the way that Jo does things. She has a no-nonsense attitude about child rearing. She goes through several "issues" and teaches you how to have control of yourself and teach your children.

Anyway, I hope this helps someone out there. I just wish I could have had these tools all along. I have learned so much and I'm always learning new things. If you have any questions about them, just ask!

What are your favorite parenting "manuals"?

Wearing

Stephanie at Adventures in Babywearing is having a contest! To win something from Nonny and Boo!

It's International Babywearing Week, and I thought I'd join in.

I thought I'd share this babywearing picture of someone much cuter than me! Princess is wearing her Jojo doll. I made her a little sling from an old t-shirt and she loves to be like me. She will carry around one doll or another like this and has a great time!

I really enjoy using carriers for Doodle! Princess is still small enough, too. Doodle loves to see everything I see, so she loved it when I put her in a wrap facing out. She also does well in a sling, but I am still learning that one. I usually only wear her when we are out and about, but sometimes it comes in handy at home, too.

I have three carriers that I actually use. I made the wrap and sling and bought my mei tai. (There are tons of patterns out there to help you make your own wraps.) I love all three and use them for different occasions. I like the mei tai the best, but Doodle isn't big enough to wrap her legs around me and thinks she should stand up when her legs are tucked under her. (I think she's going to be an early walker...the other two were.) So, we mostly use the wrap. She loves it as long as she isn't hungry. I haven't figured out how to nurse at the same time.

I have posted here and here about babywearing.

I also really like the carry in this video:



Also, to use a wrap as a sling, you can tie this bowline knot and you're ready to go. (That is what Princess is wearing.)



Almost every time I'm out and wearing Doodle, I get compliments on my wraps and people want to know more. I love it! It is fun to talk about it and help others learn more.

Mei Tai

I got my new Mei Tai (pronounced "may-tie") to carry Belle and later the new baby around in.

I love it! (Even though, by the expression on my face, you wouldn't think so.) It is so nice to be able to have her up and I can't wait to use it at the next festival or whatever that we go to where we have to walk around a lot and need her not to wander off. I also need to start walking so that I don't gain 50+ pounds with this pregnancy like I have with the others. It is really easy to use and fun for her, too.

When we were at my in-law's for Father's Day, yesterday, Belle was really grumpy. I asked her if she wanted to go in it and she said yes. I put her in the mei tai and she calmed right down and ate some of her dinner. It was amazing! I can't wait to use it when I have three kids and need my hands.

If you are interested, I got mine from here! Right now, they are starting to only sell organic products and so they are discontinuing the non-organic stuff. The prices start at $19.99, rather than their normal price of $63 (other places have them for $98!!) So, if you are in the market for one, now is the time to buy! The one I got is called stars and stripes. It is really sturdy and well-made. They also have instructions for how to wear it. Here are some more great instructions and pictures for wearing a mei tai!!

If you are interested in babywearing or in just using a carrier that is more comfortable, (I fit into the later category.) go read this post I wrote about it with links to lots of information.

Update: They have added new patterns and upped the price a bit, but they are still cheaper than anywhere else I've seen.

Bloggers Without Make-Up

So, I saw this contest a while ago and I thought I'd finally post a picture. It is really difficult for me to get a pic of myself that I like, so I'll use the same one from my sidebar.

This really isn't hard for me, since I never wear makeup! I hate the stuff!! The last time I wore more than a little powder for shine and lip gloss is my wedding day. After we got married and I was getting ready to be seen at the reception, my aunt and cousin spent a while trying to convince me to get made up. I fought it for a while and I told them that my husband hated makeup. They didn't believe me and said that he wouldn't notice. I finally consented and they put some on. I popped my head out to talk to him and the FIRST thing he noticed was the makeup. Anyway, I haven't worn any since then. (Not even at my other reception.) I am happy about this and so is Aaron!! I think the scarier pictures are of me wearing makeup. Prom was scary...literally, I looked ghostly. Maybe I never really learned how to apply it well. I also hate the feeling of having anything on my face. I don't like sunscreen, but I wear it when I have to so that I don't regret it later. I don't like the way I look in makeup. I feel that I don't look like myself. When I wear makeup, I feel like I have to look in the mirror all the time and I don't like that! So, here I am!

If you want to join in, go to Adventures in Babywearing and sign up!

Babywearing in and Emergency

I found a site with some videos that show how to carry a baby with just about anything. I think it is a great thing to know about, because we never know when we are going to be in an emergency situation. If there is water, debris or anything else all over the ground that would be unsafe for your baby or toddler, the safest place for him or her is to be carried. This way, you can also have your arms free!

Family Home Evening Rocks!

We had a fun family night, well afternoon, yesterday! We found a hiking trail and went rock hounding. (I don't know why they call it that, but it is just looking for rocks.) Luke has already decided that he is a geologist, or rock man as he calls himself. We took Freckles and Belle in the new baby carrier/wrap that I made yesterday.

Here is Belle with her daddy.
And with me. (Not a good picture of either of us, but a great pic of the wrap.)


So, off we went to look for rocks for Luke. It was a lot of fun and we got a lot of great exercise at the same time.

We were able to find some neat rocks and some big ones to pose/rest on. Luke got really tired on our trek. He needs to get out more!


So, about this wrap. I have been looking into babywearing. Yesterday, I got the idea to look through my fabric stash and see if there was anything I could try. I found a large piece of knit fabric. It was in a large tube for t-shirt making. I cut off some of it just like it was and left it in the tube. I used it for a newborn sling.

This picture doesn't show it well, since I don't have a small enough child to pose with, but maybe you can get the idea. (Face removed to protect the unphotogenic innocent.)


The rest wasn't quite long enough and after taking off a little more for a spare or gift sling, I cut the fabric so that it was no longer a tube. Then, (once Belle was napping, since she isn't a very good seamstress, yet but wants to be) I sewed it together to make a 6 yard piece of fabric about 27 inches in width. I practiced some ways to wrap it and we had a great time on our walk. Belle loves it and doesn't want to get out when she is in!

I don't want to carry my babies around with me all the time, like some of the advocates of babycarrying do, but I love the idea of being hands-free so that I can do the things that I need to do when I do need to hold a child.

Babywearing

I have been looking into babywearing. I don't think I'd do it all day long, but I want to see if it would work for the times when I need my hands at home and the baby just wants to be held, and when we are out and about. I don't like carrying a car seat around for 8 months...and I have read recently that it isn't safe for babies to sleep in them at all anyway. So, I have found some sites with a lot of good information. I just wish I had someone who could show me in person what I need to do. I wouldn't even mind using one for my 19 month old.

So, here are some sites I ran into in my searching:

Adventures in Babywearing is a blog that has a lot of really good information and is fun otherwise as well.
AskDrSears.com is a site with tons of information about babywearing and many other parenting issues as well.
Here is a site where you can buy a sling. (Though I want to try to make one myself)
WearYourBaby.com has tons of articles about babywearing, slings, carrier, ways to carry...it goes on and on.
TheBabyWearer.com is another site with tons of resources!!

So, go check it out!! I really think this could work for me!