Review Time Part One

Looking back and remembering all the research I was doing a year ago, I have been wanting to follow up with a review of some of the products we've used with Gavin and what we've loved and used or not so much. After I started writing this I saw how long it was getting so I'll break it up into a few posts, basically meaning I might be done by the time Gavin starts Kindergarten.


Up first: Big Ticket Items

Carseat - Graco Snugride 35

No complaints here! It has been fairly portable, though heavy, and we liked that it could easily snap in and out of the base in the car and onto the stroller for running errands. In hindsight (and someone did give us this advice) we could have gone with the Snugride 30. I doubt most babies actually make it to the size limit in the 35 before outgrowing it in other ways. Gavin was around 20+ lbs at 8 months and partly because it's winter and he's in bulkier clothes, the straps were getting way too tight.


New carseat! - Diono Radian RXT

We've only been using this seat for a week or so, and so far so good. The one thing I don't like (which I was somewhat prepared for since I read it in reviews) is that it is extremely hard to tighten. Maybe it's because he's still a bit small for the seat and once he's bigger it may be easier but right now, I have to pull the tether SO HARD to get it snug on his chest. And it will be next to impossible to travel with....


Stroller - Baby Jogger City Mini GT

Loooove it! We've been really happy with the stroller. I'm so glad we went with the three wheels, it's been so easy to maneuver through all the condo doors and the grocery store and it folds up SO EASILY with one hand. I wish the undercarriage was bigger for holding more stuff, but we've made it work.

Stroller Accessories:
Carseat Adapter - MUST HAVE. This made it sooo easy to keep Gavin in the carseat and snap it onto the stroller. Great for when he was sleeping since we didn't have to take him out. The adapter wasn't the easiest to take on and off so we just left it on which made it a bit awkward to fold up but once you got the hang of working around it, it was fine. We kept it on the stroller until our Europe trip at 5 months and then had Gavin sitting right in the stroller itself. 
Jolly Jumper stroller caddy - great for water bottle, phone, etc. and nice to have the zippered section
Baby Jogger Wind/Rain Canopy - this has been key for rainy days or for everyday use as soon as the weather turned cold, but word to the wise: DON'T leave it attached and fold the stroller up! It ripped along the seams on both ends and kept getting worse with the cold. Now we have a new one and will make sure to detach one end of it before folding.
JJ Cole Bundle Me - we chose this winter bundle for the stroller as it seemed to be great quality and long lasting (can extend to accommodate a child up to about 4 years old!) The only downside I've seen with this is that there isn't a way to cinch the opening tighter, so Gavin can easily get his arms out. Still need to make sure he is in lots of layers and has mitts on and this is another reason we always use the wind cover. 
Car mirror - I forget what brand we have but they are all fairly similar. A must have for the car to easily glance in the mirror and see baby while rear facing in the carseat.

Crib - Oeuf Robin Crib

Hahaha, maybe I can let you know how we like the crib once Gavin actually starts sleeping in it? In hindsight, we maybe should have held off on the crib until we saw what kind of sleeper he was. I'm glad we found this one on sale though as cribs can get so expensive, and I do like the simple design of it. (It has NOT been easy lowering the mattress though!) We used the Arm's Reach co-sleeper bassinet (borrowed from a friend) until he was almost 6 months old (we stopped using it after our Europe trip and once Gavin was too big/could move around more and sit up). This was a fantastic bassinet, kept Gavin close to easily pull into bed for nursing but he could be in his own space too. If space in our bedroom allowed, we would definitely have considered doing a side-car with his crib and pushing it up to our bed but unfortunately there just isn't room. I won't get into detail with Gavin's sleep troubles, but needless to say, he does not sleep in his crib yet. He will sometimes nap in it during the day or start the night off in the crib, but as of now, sleeps with us. And we're all happy with that :)  Oh, and the crib mattress. We got this on sale as well but spent a bit more on this to get a good one. Better to get a higher end mattress and go less on the crib since the mattress is what gets used and needs to be safe and comfortable and last a long time.

Other nursery furniture - Pretty much the only things we bought specifically for the baby were an IKEA dresser to use as a change table, a display shelf for books and decor, and the glider. The glider is awesome but hasn't been used as much as I'd hoped. If we had more room and it was actually IN the nursery, maybe we would sit there for story time. As of now, story time is Daddy's domain and the boys cuddle on the futon in the nursery for stories. I would definitely recommend using a dresser as a change table as opposed to one of the open shelved traditional change tables. So much more functional and nice being able to have things put away in drawers. 


Babywearing

Boba stretchy wrap - We used this wrap for at least the first 3 months or so and LOVED IT. I actually bought it off Kijiji, still new. I would definitely recommend searching Kijiji for baby stuff since some people are selling things that are brand new for cheaper than store prices. Gavin seemed to like the wrap a lot and usually fell asleep in it. We didn't wear him ALL the time, which I think was good because then we could use it as a soothing technique or to put him to sleep when needed. It took a few tries to get the hang of tying it but then it becomes second nature and it's amazing to have your hands free! We also had a woven wrap which I never really got the hang of using. I wish we had given it a better try since I know so many people love the woven wraps and you can use them longer than stretchy wraps (which start to sag when baby gets too heavy) but we really liked the stretchy wrap.

Boba carrier - We did some research and because the Ergo carriers required an infant insert and this one didn't, we decided to get the Boba to use once Gavin "graduated" from the stretchy wrap. We started using it when Gavin was about 3 months old. Again, it took a few tries to get the hang of putting it on and getting it comfortable but it worked out pretty well. Once we got the Ergo however, this one has barely been used. It's just a little heavier and the fabric is thicker so for our sweaty little man, we preferred using the Ergo.

Ergo Performance carrier -*cue angels singing* Definitely one of our best purchases for baby. We LOOVE this carrier! I know a lot of people have the Original or Organic Ergos but this one (Performance) was a little sportier, lighter weight and more breathable fabric which were all what we were looking for. We still tend to use the stroller more often, especially now that Gavin is way heavier, but he will still fall asleep in the carrier most of the time which is a great trick to have up our sleeves, especially for church or for Daddy trying to get him to sleep at night. I used this for our Carrier Fit classes as well and it was very comfortable. I use it a lot when going to classes now just for shuttling to and from the car. No point in getting the stroller out for a two minute walk from our parking spot to class but it's awkward just carrying him in my arms with bags, etc. so this is safer and I can tuck him inside my coat on the cold days. Would 1000% recommend this carrier to anyone, so worth the investment.

Oh...hi.

Based on the beginning of my last post, yes, you've got it right. Gavin has not slept in almost 4 months!

Well, most days it just feels that way.

No one said this would be easy, but dang...no one can truly prepare you for your child morphing into the devil incarnate after being an absolute angel 20 seconds earlier. Somehow I was also unprepared for the 4:00-6:00am playtime parties. And the way your baby can go from "oh cute, he's starting to crawl!" to "get away from the stroller wheels/laptop cords/toilet bowl!" in about 2 days. All of a sudden, after having some of his cutest moments staring up at me from the change table, he now seems to think his clothes are made of shards of glass and screams accordingly. Instead of laughing at the slight leakage of a poo-splosion, we've now seen a true Poomageddon....more than once. And sleep? Well. It's as if we lit his mattress on fire before gently placing him on it each night.

Busy, tired, drained, exhausted....

And then after yet another night of hourly wakeups and sleeping in a puddle of puke (if you're lucky enough that it's not something from the other end), you wake up and do it all over again. With a smile on your face and enough makeup slapped on that you look somewhat ALIVE.

Sigh.

So what have we been up to? Well....

Gavin turned 5 months old.

He rolls from his back to tummy often. He likes playing with his toys but only for a few minutes before getting bored and needing to move on to something more interesting. He started speaking in a "smokers whisper" and expressing his delight with a loud inhale noise. Everything he gets his hands on went in his mouth (including his hands...and feet). He loves his blankies, but also likes putting them over his face, loves when Daddy dances and sings for him and still loves to eat.

We went to Europe. Barcelona, Montpellier, Lyon, Montreux, Florence, Tuscany. It was heaven. What I wouldn't give for a glass of Cava, a Lyonnaise salad and a heaping plate of pasta right about now.

Gavin was the perfect traveler, slept on the plane (better than at home!), napped in the stroller while on the go, smiled for the camera, fed anywhere and everywhere and loved the freedom of no carseat on the trains!

He scratched the rocks of Roman ruins in Old Lyon, had his first foods (avocado, banana) in our condo in Switzerland, cut his first tooth in Tuscany, rocked his hat and jacket in the mountains, his tank top and bathing suit in Barceloneta and got compliments on his sunglasses wherever we went. We chose the PERFECT time to go. Not that the trip was without complications, but traveling with a 5 month old was easier than we thought and we would recommend it to anyone. Hey, if he doesn't sleep at home, you might as well not sleep in a Tuscan villa!

Gavin turned 6 months old. He eats lots of different foods (loves apples and sweet potato) and eating is easier with SIX teeth. Peekaboo is an all-time fave, especially with Daddy when he gets home. Storytime involved slapping and scrunching pages instead of reading. The right leg stomp becomes a real phenomenon. Seriously, he will not stand without stomping. Bangs toys and hands on the floor and high chair and "scratches" everything, especially different textures. The hatred of putting a shirt on begins and he will fight you to the death if you try to pick his nose.


Gavin's first wedding and first Halloween! Now, isn't that the cutest Peter Pan you ever did see?

Special thanks to Baby Gap for the most adorable wedding outfit ever (that bowtie!) and to a very special Nana for her crafting of Pan's outfit and hat :)

Gavin turned 7 months. Heavens above, he is getting too big! He is eating like a champ, but still loves to nurse (especially all.night.long). His favourite food is pears and he loves beef and sipping water from a cup (with help). On Thanksgiving weekend, he started inching forward and now he has the fastest army crawl around and is getting into EVERYTHING. Cords, dirty stroller wheels, the shower curtain and toilet are among his favourite conquests. Peekaboo almost always gets a laugh, he has tickly toes, and he likes sitting way up high on Daddy's shoulders. Teething has become a NIGHTMARE and our normally happy boy has a very split personality that turns on a dime. He is getting better at sleeping in his crib for naps and at the beginning of the night but much prefers to sleep with Mommy and Daddy for most of the night (which happens every night so we can all get some precious sleep!). For Christmas, Gavin is wishing for anything hard to bite on and a room full of cords, Daddy is wishing for a queen sized bed and Mommy is wishing for 3+ hours of consecutive sleep.

Four Months

I think the mark of blog frequency can be directly related to baby's sleep. Baby doesn't sleep = Mommy doesn't blog. Also, Mommy can blame no one but herself for lack of discipline.

From little sleep to daily chores to fitness classes to summer weekends away to going on trips to packing for next trips....let's just say things have been a bit busy. I could say that we've fallen into somewhat of a routine, but that would probably mean it will change again tomorrow so let's not even bother. Just as soon as it seems we have something figured out with our little man, he throws us the next curve ball. I just wish he would SLEEP. I should be grateful for the sleep we do get, but it would be really really REALLY nice after 4 months to be able to sleep more than 2-3 hours consecutively. One of these days...

Gavin has changed SO much, even just over the past few weeks. He is so much more interactive and playful, and is such a happy little guy (most of the time).

I really do want to write a few posts about what has been going on with us (I know, broken record), so we'll see how much I can squeeze in in the next 2 weeks because then.....

We. Leave. For. EUROPE.

That's right. Twenty five days of Europe travel is looming as our departure date RAPIDLY approaches. And I haven't started packing. Not that I don't have about 57 lists in my head of what/how to pack.... We'll get there.

Anyways! Here is a little peek at Gavin in his 4 months of glory!

LIKES: ATTENTION, eating, loooves the water - bath time or pool time, stories with Daddy, being out and about with Mommy, being outside, pulling grass, chewing his blankies, folding his hands, seeing himself in the mirror, pulling hair

DISLIKES: waking up (man, he is MAD sometimes after his naps!), diaper changes in the night, car rides when not in the mood, Mommy picking his nose, getting stuck on his tummy after rolling, Daddy's loud outbursts (we had a major cry after Daddy let out a "HA!" at the tv...).

ACTIVITIES: rolling over ALL the time from back to tummy, holds toys on his own to play with, always grabs/chews his blankies, sitting up with little support, lots of "talking" with different sounds and loud growls, goes to lots of classes with Mommy (yoga, carrier fit, mama group, pilates), everything in his hands gets in his mouth, going longer between feedings, will sometimes nap in crib, lots and lots of smiles and some giggles when we tickle his toes!

Three Months

Our teeny baby boy is now a chubby 3 month old! He is changing and developing every day! He is totally focused now, on our faces, the toys on his play mat and his new crib mobile. For the most part he is a pretty smiley boy...other than when it's time for pictures!

This little man is a MOVER. He kicks like crazy in his bed in the morning, kicks while on his play mat, kicks me while feeding... His arms aren't totally under control it seems as they flail everywhere too! He waves his little fists around constantly, sometimes bashing himself in the face. He doesn't mind.

Outfit change for Canada Day (...and because he pooped through the first one before we were done photos.)

Gavin at 3 months:

Likes: morning awake time, Daddy's singing and story time, looooves bath time (kicks like crazy!), Carrier Fit class, chewing his fist, chewing one finger, chewing Mommy or Daddy's finger

Dislikes: middle of the night diaper changes, Mommy picking his nose, thunder (or just the one really loud boom that woke him up), being alone, too much time in the car

Activities: goes to yoga, pilates and Carrier Fit class with Mommy, goes for weekend morning walks in the carrier with Daddy, really liking the sound of his own voice and sometimes gets LOUD when "talking", had his FIRST GIGGLES at Nana in the car, his first trip to the beach and rolled from his back to side to tummy on his play mat!

First Timer!

We have a first this morning... I came back from a dentist appointment (Daddy worked from home to stay with Gav) and found a sleepy boy being put down in his big crib. It's a slight miracle to get him to sleep on his own in his little co-sleeper in our room, let alone his full sized crib! He sleeps best while being worn in the wrap or carrier out and about, in the stroller, or next to me at night in our bed. But our boy is now napping in his big crib! He looks SO tiny in it!

A perfect example of how things go according to GAVIN'S plans, not ours! I had every intention of racing back from the dentist, loading him in the car and rushing to get to a Carrier Fit class. I went last week and it was awesome, and want to make sure to go to as many classes as possible with Baby & Me Fitness (check out photos of yours truly in action on the website, and in the video!)  But when I saw that he was actually falling asleep in his crib, after an unusually rough night last night, I thought, just let him be. I could have woken him, stuck him in the carseat which would inevitably cause him to get upset, race to the class which I would have been late for anyway, pay for parking, collect all his stuff, stick him in the carrier and get us both hot and sweaty in class..... Or, I could let him sleep.

He keeps "startling" with his arms flailing, but it's too warm for a full swaddle and I want to see if he is able to stay asleep through a bit of noise from outside and his own movements. I'll save the vacuuming for later.

..........

Aaand he's up. Solid 20 mins Gav. Good effort. Sigghhh...

Little Gentleman

This boy already has such a little personality. Sometimes it can be heartwarmingly adorable...sometimes it can downright make your ears bleed. One of the most frequent comments I've heard from friends and admirers of Gavin is "he has so many expressions!" He has quite the expressive little face, and it's hilarious to imagine what he must be thinking with each raise or furrow of his eyebrows.

I think we have a sensitive little guy on our hands as well. From the perspective of Dr. Karp's The Happiest Baby, Sensitive babies are wide-eyed and super-alert; their reactions to the world are as transparent and pure as crystal. But like crystal, sensitive infants may be fragile and require extra care. They are so open to everything around them they can easily become overloaded. Even their own cries even nudge them into stronger screams.

Well, hello Gavin! Wide-eyed and super-alert?

Check.

He is even starting to get more "distracted" while nursing, which I can see turning into a nightmare the older, bigger and more aware he becomes. If only he would be so kind as to detach himself before whiplashing his head back at the slightest noise!

That last part of describing Mr. Sensitive is usually what happens in the car. He'll be fed, changed and totally happy...until the click of the carseat straps. A few cries usually follow, which sometimes are soothed when we start to drive. But other times, those early cries quickly escalate and become full on wails and it's next to impossible to calm him with anything other than taking him out of the seat. There should be a "screaming baby" fast lane on every road to save mothers' sanity.

I find myself wondering a lot about how his temperament now will shape his personality. If he does turn out to be a fairly sensitive young lad, will he be shy? Will he get his feelings hurt easily? Will he make friends easily or prefer to play by himself? It will be crazy to see our little baby mature and become his own little person, with whatever his personality may be. Time will tell...and I'm in no hurry.

Need For Speed

I had this post ready AGES ago and never posted it. He looks so teeny in these photos! 

This boy likes to MOVE. Like constantly. It's actually getting to be somewhat comical. He loves when Daddy holds him while bouncing on the exercise ball....but heaven forbid he should stop.

Same in the car, which is a bit more stressful. He could be totally passed out in his carseat while booting along at a good speed. Come to a stop sign/light/get stopped in traffic or construction? NO THANK YOU. He will be a perfect angel in the stroller while running errands. Stop to check out with your purchases and cue the crying! No rest for us with Mr. Need for Speed!

Running errands at the mall. Zzzzzzz....

Going to meet Daddy on his way home from work. Not overly impressed.

Waiting in the elevator. Really not impressed.