Mom for 11 Months: These things I've learned
The desire to share knowledge, to share what works, is strong. But, one thing I have learned is that moms are tricky. There are mom's that are open to knowledge sharing, and there are mom's that aren't. There are moms that are open about issues, problems, pitfalls, that want you're help troubleshooting. There are moms that talk only about how great things are, and don't want to commiserate or knowledge share.
Playgroups are a mine field of such issues. But that's another post.
In no particular order.
Touch and Feel board books. Have you ever tickled a tiger? THIS toy, which I call our animal racers. He's loved it since six months old, our two year old friends love it. It's versatile. Muslin blankets. Baby wipes. Lots of baby wipes. Plastic bibs. Don't waste money on the cloth ones. Vinegar cleaner. Cetaphil (body wash and cream), Cerave, Aquaphor. I know of which I speak. DO NOT use lotions with smells. Any smells. Even good baby smells. DO NOT USE THEM. This duck bath tub. A good stroller. Target and Wal-Mart baby clothes. Consignment shops for baby clothes. Circo play clothes are as good as Carter, and cheaper. People talk about how Gap, Gymboree are better quality, last longer. They are sometimes 4 to 5 times the price. The kid will wear them for a month. How long do they need to last? I am not immune to their cute clothes. I own some of both. Buy next seasons clothes now - walmart has winter clothes on sale for three dollars. Only buy hats that have under the chin straps. Lesson learned. Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child. This one sounds stupid, but, start correcting behavior early. Like 5 months early. We started - out of necessity - correcting biting behavior at 5 months and he learned! Because of this, I know some kids can learn early. All kids are different. My favorite saying: babies are like really slowly booting up computers. They each decide which programs to load up at which times. And all kids (people!) are good at different things. Please don't brag about your kids fine / gross / verbal skills at 6 months old. It will come back to bite you. These spoons. Get two packs. Once you start feeding on the go, you will lose them. It's ridiculous. Hiding food in apple sauce. Use the pack n play as a playpen outside. Do all the voices. Get a good pump, but don't take the tags off until you know bf'ing is something you're going to do long term. Practice, practice, practice with cups, spoons, toothbrushes, all things. Grady took months to figure out sippy cups and then just one day, it clicked. Play keys, play cell phones, play keyboards don't work because they are not the ones YOU play with every day. Kids aren't stupid. Crying louder than my kid didn't work, and made him sad because he thought we were making fun of him. I kid you not. Talking quietly (so he had to stop crying to hear us) worked. Singing BINGO worked. NOT this walker. I wish I hadn't wasted the money. I got it because it was cheap, and it's too light for my pretty immobile, inbalanced kid to stand and walk with. I got this one, it's heavier, and longer and he can walk with it. Lesson learned. Don't buy infant towels. They are flimsy and you use them for a minute. When teething, don't be afraid of tylenol. Sleep sacks. Sleep sacks. Sleep sacks. They can't prevent sids, contrary to their marketing, but they DO prevent suffication. Which is a problem too. Take TONS of pictures. Tons. Hundreds a day. You will never regret having too many photos to look at. I talk to Grady all the time. In public. I ask him what he thinks about outfits. He laughs and looks at me like I'm stupid. But it's fun. A friend of mine calls him (and probably her own kids) my side-kick. I like that. I'm like a super hero and he's Robin.
It's all a phase. All kids are different. You're a shepard not a dictator. Give in to your kids schedule, but make him bend to yours too. (I have to repeat all of this to myself ALL THE TIME).
This is all the advice I would never say because, well, moms you just don't do that.
Right now he's taking his "toy" remote control (a real remote control with no batteries) and putting it to his ear. Oh geez. Now he's "talking" in it. That's hillarious.
Playgroups are a mine field of such issues. But that's another post.
In no particular order.
Touch and Feel board books. Have you ever tickled a tiger? THIS toy, which I call our animal racers. He's loved it since six months old, our two year old friends love it. It's versatile. Muslin blankets. Baby wipes. Lots of baby wipes. Plastic bibs. Don't waste money on the cloth ones. Vinegar cleaner. Cetaphil (body wash and cream), Cerave, Aquaphor. I know of which I speak. DO NOT use lotions with smells. Any smells. Even good baby smells. DO NOT USE THEM. This duck bath tub. A good stroller. Target and Wal-Mart baby clothes. Consignment shops for baby clothes. Circo play clothes are as good as Carter, and cheaper. People talk about how Gap, Gymboree are better quality, last longer. They are sometimes 4 to 5 times the price. The kid will wear them for a month. How long do they need to last? I am not immune to their cute clothes. I own some of both. Buy next seasons clothes now - walmart has winter clothes on sale for three dollars. Only buy hats that have under the chin straps. Lesson learned. Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child. This one sounds stupid, but, start correcting behavior early. Like 5 months early. We started - out of necessity - correcting biting behavior at 5 months and he learned! Because of this, I know some kids can learn early. All kids are different. My favorite saying: babies are like really slowly booting up computers. They each decide which programs to load up at which times. And all kids (people!) are good at different things. Please don't brag about your kids fine / gross / verbal skills at 6 months old. It will come back to bite you. These spoons. Get two packs. Once you start feeding on the go, you will lose them. It's ridiculous. Hiding food in apple sauce. Use the pack n play as a playpen outside. Do all the voices. Get a good pump, but don't take the tags off until you know bf'ing is something you're going to do long term. Practice, practice, practice with cups, spoons, toothbrushes, all things. Grady took months to figure out sippy cups and then just one day, it clicked. Play keys, play cell phones, play keyboards don't work because they are not the ones YOU play with every day. Kids aren't stupid. Crying louder than my kid didn't work, and made him sad because he thought we were making fun of him. I kid you not. Talking quietly (so he had to stop crying to hear us) worked. Singing BINGO worked. NOT this walker. I wish I hadn't wasted the money. I got it because it was cheap, and it's too light for my pretty immobile, inbalanced kid to stand and walk with. I got this one, it's heavier, and longer and he can walk with it. Lesson learned. Don't buy infant towels. They are flimsy and you use them for a minute. When teething, don't be afraid of tylenol. Sleep sacks. Sleep sacks. Sleep sacks. They can't prevent sids, contrary to their marketing, but they DO prevent suffication. Which is a problem too. Take TONS of pictures. Tons. Hundreds a day. You will never regret having too many photos to look at. I talk to Grady all the time. In public. I ask him what he thinks about outfits. He laughs and looks at me like I'm stupid. But it's fun. A friend of mine calls him (and probably her own kids) my side-kick. I like that. I'm like a super hero and he's Robin.
It's all a phase. All kids are different. You're a shepard not a dictator. Give in to your kids schedule, but make him bend to yours too. (I have to repeat all of this to myself ALL THE TIME).
This is all the advice I would never say because, well, moms you just don't do that.
Right now he's taking his "toy" remote control (a real remote control with no batteries) and putting it to his ear. Oh geez. Now he's "talking" in it. That's hillarious.
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