I just had a mommy breakdown. J was about to leave for work when I burst into tears. He decided to work from home this morning and ordered to go get some rest. But how could I, when I am surrounded by a thick fog of guilt? How could I, when there are dishes to be done, tables to be cleared, and laundry to be put away? Oh, yes, and we can't forget the crying baby. Let's back up a little here...
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It is no secret that I would prefer BebeDeux to be a boy. If so we'd have one of each and we'd be done! Be that as it may, I wouldn't be upset if BebeDeux turns out to be a girl. After all, dontcha know that two girls are the best? ;-) We were excited to find out Claire's gender when I was pregnant with her and it is no different with this baby. But I will most likely have to wait until my Level 2 Ultrasound to find out — a whole six more weeks! — and I will be the first to admit that I'm already growing impatient. That's why I decided to turn to early gender determination tests. These aren't old...
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Before having Claire I couldn't understand why some mothers — even the die-hard feminists who eschewed all traditional takes on gender roles — would dress their baby girls in pink, frilly clothes all the time. And as soon as Claire was born, I discovered why. It's because whenever she's not wearing pink she's often mistaken for being a boy. And I'm sure that this is the exact reason most parents dress their baby boys in predominantly blue wardrobes as well. I have personally never questioned these color associations with gender before. I always assumed that they are what society once deemed appropriate, and so I — along with billions of others — automatically grew up thinking this way. What's strange about this assumption is just...
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Remember the Magic Sleepsuit? Let's see if this helps refresh your memory: Baby Merlin's Magic Sleepsuit was invented by Maureen Howard, a pediatric physical therapist and a mother of four. It was designed for babies who are approximately 3 months of age and have been swaddled, but are beginning to grow out of that stage. The Magic Sleepsuit provides babies with the cozy and secure sleep environment that they became so accustomed to with swaddling. It aids in making a positive transition into that spacious crib, and promotes back sleeping which all mothers know is the best sleep position for reducing the risk of SIDS. We first purchased the Magic Sleepsuit when Claire was going through her "four-month wakeful" period — only napping 30...
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I've been meaning to do this for quite some time now, and I'm happy to finally cross it off my to-do list! I think that every mother has different products they consider "must-haves," in addition to some on the "don't bother" list. So I want to preface our lists by saying that every family — and every baby — is different, and while one product may work wonders for one family it may only collect dust at another household. Now, on to the lists! First up: our favorite specific items for Claire. In other words, our favorite items that we've found to be better than their competitors: 1. Amazon Mom. I have written about this amazing service before, and it's quickly become my all-time...
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