Archive for March, 2007
Almost every mom I know has been through at least three diaper bags, if not four or five. I thought this was a ridiculous statistic until I allowed myself to buy a second diaper bag after realizing that the first one was deteriorating quickly. The second one was an improvement on the first one in many ways, thus planting an idea in my head: was it possible to achieve diaper bag nirvana? Could I continue to improve on each successive new bag? Would angels sing when at last I opened up that final perfect tote?
Without further ado, here’s the rundown of all the diaper bags I’ve tried. I’ll post my list of diaper bag essentials in another post, so you’ll know what I was trying to fit into all of these bags.
My first diaper bag was an old version of the Petunia Pickle Bottom boxy backpack, which I got as a shower gift from my sister. It was GORGEOUS. I used this for six months or so before tragedy struck: the velcro used to fasten it closed wore out, thus leaving me with a bag that hung open most of the time.
Pros: SO CUTE. Nice size for a newborn. Did I mention CUTE?
Cons: Closed with velcro, which wore out very quickly, at which point the bag refused to stay shut. Backpack and shoulder straps were too slippery to stay adjusted to the right spot. 6′5″ husband could not carry comfortably.
After that we got a Land’s End Diaper Backpack, which we used for a very long time with great success. It was fantastic for a few reasons: first and foremost, it was a backpack. I’ve found that it is so much easier to carry a backpack than a shoulder bag when you are carrying a baby with one arm. Also, for airport travel, a backpack can’t be beat.
Pros: Backpack. Very inexpensive ($40). Came with huge changing pad. Two insulated cupholders on the outside of the bag. (May have changed since our model.) Light blue wipe-off interior which avoids the black hole syndrome (losing everything in a dark bag interior). Stayed upright during a diaper change.
Cons: Too small for major outings or airport travel. Diaper compartment was the wrong size and tended to squash diapers. A little too small for tall husband. Also, not cute at all. Looked like I should be carrying books to junior high.
We then tried out a Skip Hop Canvas Duo. These seemed to be outrageously popular and I liked the attach-to-stroller feature. I used this one for about three minutes before discovering that I just couldn’t fit all of our stuff into it, and I don’t even carry that much. I am not sure how other parents manage with this one, because it was way too small for me, dawg.
Pros: Cute. Attaches to stroller in nifty way. Slim and streamlined.
Cons: How the hell do you fit your stuff in this thing?
When Frances got older and needed slightly fewer supplies, I looked for a diaper bag that could double as my purse. I figured it would save me the trouble of bringing both a purse and a diaper bag with me everywhere. Enter Fleurville’s Sling Tote.
Pros: Looks fantastic. Love the conversion from tote to sling bag. Hooks onto stroller in nifty way. Separate compartment for wallet/keys/glasses, so works nicely as a purse.
Cons: Again, small. Can be used for one child for minor outings, but as soon as you start packing changes of clothes and baby blankets and jackets and bottles of water, it’s not really workable.
Enter Gloria, Baby #2, and suddenly our diaper bag needs changed once more. I wanted a backpack again, but it had to be BIG. I finally discovered DadGear, which manufactures big dad-sized backpacks that are a much more reasonable size for two kids. With two girls, I had to have a pink one. We’ve used this for a while now, and it’s pretty great, although still not perfect.
Pros: BIG backpack! Comfortable for dad. Easily adjustable straps. Diapers are kept separately in a top compartment. Tons of pockets everywhere. Great for airport travel. Light, wipe-off interior.
Cons: Separate compartment for wipes is at the bottom of the backpack. Why, I ask you, why? The compartment is a great idea, but the wipes get squished at the bottom of the bag, and then when you set the backpack upright to change the baby, the weight of the bag compresses the wipes and they’re impossible to pull out. Nice idea, poor execution. Would have been perfect at the top of the bag instead. We nixed the wipes compartment and we squish them in with the diapers.
Currently I am experimenting with a smallish LeSportsac tote that is not a diaper bag at all. I have a Ziploc bag of diapers and wipes in there, and it’s so small that the whole bag scrunches up to nothing. I can then throw this bag into another HUGE canvas L.L.Bean bag for park outings and the like, since we need a picnic blanket and hats and elephants and other large items for the park. I keep the huge bag sort of permanently in the car and then I jettison the LeSportsac like an escape pod. It’s working out pretty well so far, but the LeSportsac is not a backpack, so I need to keep the DadGear bag in rotation for the airport and trips to the zoo and other places we need to carry kids.
For future diaper bag experiments, I am fascinated by DadGear’s Messenger Bag. Also the Sherpani bags. But I must draw the line somewhere, although I am always enticed by that next perfect bag lurking around the corner…
March 23rd, 2007
This past January we took both kids to Disneyland for an official dose of Disney madness. Gloria was 7 months, Frances was 3.5… we flew into Orange County from Oakland and stayed at the Grand Californian. Apart from a freakish cold snap (freeeezing cold weather), we had a great trip. Here’s a quick rundown of what we’ve learned about visiting the “Big D” with kids:
- If staying in a hotel (Grand Californian, Disneyland Hotel etc), hit the park as early as possible, eat lunch in the park, and then go back to your room and rest for at least an hour or two. That seemed to be the timing that worked out best for us and gave us a second wind to do a few more rides in the afternoon.
- Strollers: I don’t think we could have done the park without a stroller for each child. Frances absolutely needed one (sooo much walking) and it was a nice place to park Gloria while she was sleeping. We brought our own stroller for Gloria and then rented a stroller for Frances in the park. The rental strollers are sort of like jogging strollers and are actually pretty nice, but you have to leave them in the park and can’t take them back and forth to the hotels. (But usually you can find your stroller if you leave it and then come back into the park.)
- Monorail: The monorail runs from Tomorrowland to a spot in Downtown Disney right in front of the Disneyland Hotel (and about a five minute walk from the Grand Californian). If you bring your own stroller into the park, you’ll have to fold it up to get it onto the train. You can leave your rental stroller in the park by the monorail entrance and odds are it will be there when you return. Frances thought the monorail was just as fun as any of the rides!
- Tiki Room: This is a fantastic place to rest. We looove the Tiki Room (and not only for the fabulous ’60s Hawaiian kitsch factor). It’s right by the Adventureland entrance. Pick up a pineapple whip (or juice) at the Dole pineapple stand — you can eat and drink inside the show. It is about 15 minutes of seated entertainment in a dark room with cute singing parrots and flowers and tikis. Great place to nurse a baby! And very nice for tired parents and kids. (note on the scary factor: there is one boom of thunder at the end of the show, but I would say this place is pretty tame.)
- Baby care center: Disneyland has a baby care center at the end of Main Street, across the street from the Carnation cafe. It is even staffed with a nice person who will direct you to the big armchairs for nursing and changing tables. (cool fact: this place has been there since the park opened! how forward thinking was Walt?) Very centrally located.
- You can get lunch fare slightly better than the standard fast-food burger at Red Rocket’s Pizza Port in Tomorrowland. (Pizza, pasta, salad)
- Room service was great when we were all tired in the evening, or getting ready to go in the morning. Frances was thrilled when she got to eat Mickey pancakes on her own bed. At the Grand Californian it only took about 30 minutes to get food.
- The character dining spots were the highlight of our visit. Goofy’s Kitchen at the Disneyland Hotel was the best! They sell autograph books and pens everywhere… Frances loved collecting autographs from the characters. Can book very far in advance.
- It’s A Small World: 15 minutes long! Air conditioned! Take a break… can nurse on the boat…
- Guests staying at one of the official Disneyland hotels can get early admission to the park on select days. We were let in an hour early one of our days and they had all of Fantasyland open as well as the Buzz Lightyear ride. It was absolutely empty… very cool!
- Fruit stands: They now have fruit stands all over the park, a big difference from when I was growing up. They have one in Fantasyland, one in Adventureland, and one in front of Splash Mountain at the very least. They sell fresh fruit and pickles and juice.
- Other yummy things: The Bengal BBQ in Adventureland for meat skewers, and the little stand in New Orleans square near the railway stop that has mint juleps and fritters. Monte Cristo sandwiches in New Orleans square too. (very fried but what can you do.)
- You can search on YouTube for inside-the-ride videos, so if you are wondering if a ride is too scary you can actually do a virtual run-through of it and figure out whether your child would be scared or not.
- Frances’s very favorite things:
Alice
Peter Pan
Minnie’s house (and Mickey’s house)
Buzz Lightyear ride
Pooh ride
Bug’s Life rides at California Adventure
Driving rides (Mr.Toad, Roger Rabbit) — “i was a CRAZY driver!”
Pirates (shocker)
Too scary:
Snow White
Tiny rollercoaster in Toontown (your kid may vary)
March 22nd, 2007
This morning I found myself in Urban Outfitters with a baby strapped to my chest. I browsed through the tank tops and smiled gamely at the salesperson folding clothes next to me who was easily fifteen years younger than I am. “Mamamama!” cried Gloria, over the din of blaring indie pop. I felt like an alien invader. How did I end up so far from the playground, the grocery store, from Gymboree?
It all started with one phrase from my preschooler a few weeks ago: “Mom, why do you wear the same clothes every single day?”
It’s true: I have fallen victim to the Mommy Uniform, and I am striving to break out. Or at least liven things up a little bit. The Mommy Uniform in my case consists of a v-neck t-shirt (short or long-sleeved), jeans or capri pants, and a black fleece vest. Plain colors, playground-ready, no ironing or dry-cleaning required. But I need new stuff. And it’s not just because I’m in a rut; it’s because at the moment, after two pregnancies, I actually have no clothes.
Earlier this winter I cleaned out my closet. I mean, really cleaned it out. Bags and bags of clothing: gone. With all my maternity gear stashed away in the attic hopefully forever, I got rid of everything. Donated to Magic Johnson’s big purple charity shop. Dozens of pairs of stretchy dress pants from my last job five years ago? Gonzo. “Biz-dev blue” work shirts? Gone. Gross t-shirts from Old Navy in a dozen unrecognizable shades of black and whitish-grey? Buh-bye. If I never missed it in five years, I tossed it. If I wore it last when I was in college, I bid it a fond farewell. It was highly satisfying and a little bit scary.
Anyway, the New Me is waiting to be discovered and hopefully purchased on sale. But what to get? The sad thing is, I spend so much (enjoyable) time and energy outfitting my kids that I have not thought about my own clothes in years. I have also vowed not to accumulate lots of crap; I don’t want to end up with dozens of white and black t-shirts again. So this is how I arrived at Urban Outfitters this morning, wondering whether it was acceptable for a minivan-driving mommy of two to be checking out the babydoll tops and sparkly ballet flats.
I bought some tank tops. Also, alas, some v-neck t-shirts, but hopefully they’re slightly more interesting than the Old Navy variety. And one sort of offbeat patterned t-shirt, just to see if I can pull it off. This will be a work in progress, because I’m not quite sure where I fit in: one part Urban, one part North Face Outlet, one part J.Crew, nothing too nice in case Gloria wipes her nose on my shoulder.
March 14th, 2007
I am a little bit insane. I just ordered Frances’ birthday party favors almost two months ahead of time.
In my former, pre-child life I was not so crazy, but now that I have kids I get some sort of absurd pleasure from accomplishing a task in advance. It’s like, yes, I only got two hours of sleep last night, and my baby’s nose is dripping everywhere, and I got pizza for dinner, but! I HAVE PARTY FAVORS! Those kids will take home little plastic baggies with stickers and crayons and I will have assembled those baggies in a — dare I say it — leisurely amount of time. Ah, the thrill of doing anything in a relaxed manner. Small victories are sweet.
Incidentally, my small victory was due mostly to Orientaltrading.com, home of every small plastic item you ever wanted to fish out from under your couch. For the truly interested, the loot bags will include:
Heart shaped notepads
Rainbow crayons
Ice cream erasers
Iridescent stickers
March 8th, 2007
When Gloria started sitting up at 6 months, for the longest time I wasn’t sure how to allow her to play on the ice-cold, rock-hard tile floor of our kitchen while we cooked or ate at the table. Blankets just slipped and slid everywhere. A yoga mat didn’t slide, but was too thin. A little kids’ gym mat would have been ideal, but those things are expensive. We tried the exersaucer in the kitchen, or just sat her in the highchair, but Gloria had little tolerance for those over long periods of time.
Finally I hit upon the answer at Bed, Bath & Beyond: I picked up an inexpensive bathroom rug with a non-skid rubber backing. Voila! Instant cushy baby play space on the inhospitable kitchen floor. It may not be lovely, but it’s much softer on the noggin. We now keep a pair of non-skid bath rugs next to our kitchen table and a pile of baby toys, and Gloria is happy and entertained while the rest of the family eats dinner.
Of course, I only wish I’d thought of this sooner, because Gloria is about to crawl at any minute, thus rendering this hack much less useful!
March 5th, 2007
Welcome to my new and very sparkly blog. Please pardon my dust; I’m just learning the ropes. My About page should explain things somewhat. I hope to get into the swing of things soon, once I’m done changing my design fifty or sixty times. Hello, new procrastination tool!
March 4th, 2007
Great Pick-Up Foods (for babies just learning to eat with their fingers)
Fruit:
- Watermelon (favorite)
- Mango
- Papaya (look out, it is a laxative)
- Banana (favorite)
- Canned peaches in juice
- Avocado
- Cantaloupe
- Kiwi
- Blueberries
- Pear
Veggies:
- Steamed broccoli
- Steamed baby carrots
- Frozen peas: keep bag in freezer, microwave a handful in a little bowl with water
- Baked sweet potatoes
- Butternut squash*
- Steamed or sauteed zucchini
- Baked winter squash
- Edamame
- Roasted bell peppers
- Asparagus
Grains:
- Cheerios
- Puffed rice
- Whole wheat pita bread
- Homemade pizza: whole wheat pizza dough from TJ’s with melted cheese on it
- Plain bagel
- Steamed white rice
- Whole wheat English muffins
- Bran muffins
- Banana bread
Meat etc:
- Cooked ground turkey
- Meatloaf (made without egg whites)
- Trader Joe’s frozen chicken nuggets
- Sliced deli turkey*
- Baked salmon (only if very moist, watch out for bones)
- Rotisserie chicken
Protein:
- Trader Joe’s eggless egg salad
- Hard boiled egg yolks
- Egg yolks scrambled with cheese and a little bit of water
- American cheese
- Grated cheddar or jack cheese
- Canned low-sodium black beans*
- TJ’s organic baked beans*
- White beans cooked in stewed tomatoes
- Garbanzo beans
Misc:
- Gardenburgers
- Veggie booty
- Hummus
- Quesadillas
- Grilled cheese
- Macaroni casserole (Make spaghetti sauce with ground beef, cook macaroni, combine in casserole dish and melt cheese on top)
- Macaroni with cheese melted on it
- Pizza with ricotta, mozzarella, tomato sauce
- Eggos (with cottage cheese, cream cheese, cinnamon and sugar, or jam)
- Pancakes (after 1 year)
- Pasta with sauce
*Stuff we tried that Frances didn’t like
March 3rd, 2007
General Tips:
- Buy some new toys for the plane. The novelty factor goes a long way, compared to toys that have already been used a lot at home.
- Wrap a few special items in wrapping paper for the fun of unwrapping
- Fly JetBlue whenever possible; they have individual tv screens on seat backs with DirecTV. They also have a diaper change surface in their bathrooms. You do have to bring your own food, though.
- Even if you have a JetBlue TV, a portable DVD player is a very worthwhile investment if you travel frequently.
- The seat-back tray is very entertaining, as are the magazines and safety instructions in the seat pocket
Entertainment By Age
Under 1 year:
14+ months:
20+ months:
- Favorite paperback books
- Issues of Babybug, Ladybug
- Sticker activity book with reusable vinyl stickers (stick to window of plane, big fun – probably any vinyl window decals will work for this). We’ve gotten a lot of mileage out of the following reusable sticker books:
- Magnet activity boards – like sticker books, except the pieces are magnetized
- Bits of a small plastic tea set (cups, saucers, teapot, sugar, creamer) for on-board tea parties
- Very small stuffed animals, a tiny doll blanket & bottle for feeding & putting to bed (we always bring Bert & Ernie)
- Magna Doodle (Doodle Pro)
- Scotch tape
- Post-it notes
- Crayons, paper, coloring books
- Ruler stencil for drawing (can use a pen to make circles, stars, etc.)
- Color Wonder markers, which only draw on special paper
- Play-doh
- Soft playset
- mr.potato head (although, he is large)
- tubes of plastic animals
- Baby Einstein flash cards
- Russian stacking dolls (if not too small)
- Tiny squeeze flashlight
Older kids 3+:
All ages: SNACKS
- Juice boxes for ear popping on the way up & down (*although no longer allowed to bring on flights at the moment)
- Teddy grahams or animal crackers
- Raisins
- String cheese
- Some special treat that only appears on the plane
March 3rd, 2007
