>wishful wednesday: cool baby stuff

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I have lots of baby stuff, don’t get me wrong. I have a Mod Mum Sling. An Ergo Carrier. A Moby Wrap. A Baby Jogger City Mini. A Snap n Go. Bouncy seat. Strap on high chair (sounds dirty, huh?). A Bebe Au Lait nursing cover. A Stokke crib.  All neato burrito things and really I don’t need more.

But there is so much cool stuff emerging on the baby market that I just want to try, even though I simply don’t need it.  Here is some new stuff out there worth “wishing” I could at least try:

– Beco Baby Carrier – Functions much like an Ergo, but has lots of cute fabrics to choose from. The down side, it’s more expensive than the Ergo.

– Baby Bond Nursing Cover – Now this is something I may soon convince myself to purchase (even though I already have a nursing cover).  It’s super cool!  Drapes across you, much like a pouch sling, and opens up in the middle allowing baby to nurse, but keeping the girls and belly covered.  Plus, you don’t have a huge drape of fabric to coordinate, or for the baby to push away (as my older daughter started doing).  It’s a much cooler way to nurse your baby – figuratively and literally.  These are comparable in price to the Bebe Au Lait covers, but the nice women at Baby Bond sometimes have “seconds” that they will sell for much, much less. Follow them on Facebook and Twitter for up-to-date info.

– Bjorn Baby Sitter – Unfortunately, this little goody is discontinued.  Basically, it’s Bjorn’s version of a baby bouncer, without the vibrator, or the hangy down things (dirty, again, I know).  But it’s much more sturdy and can support a toddler sitting on it.  The down side (and perhaps why it was discontinued), is that it’s very pricey. Over $100. I purchased our little bouncer new at Babies R Us for about $25 and it’s serving us fine. The down side is that my toddler is dying to sit in it and she is just too heavy.  If you find one of these used, snatch it up! They are super, duper cool!

– Phil and Ted’s Double Stroller – I have a two year old and a three month old. I didn’t think I would use a double stroller as I tend to baby carry. But a week in to having two babies, I changed my tune and the double stroller shopping ensued. This cool stroller is a double stroller, but about the size of a single stroller.  It has a main seat and a sling seat below. Your tot can sit in either seat if your baby is big enough. But while baby is little, you can use a car seat adaptor to latch the seat into the main seat or put the bebe there. The downsides (and why I did not purchase this stroller) is that there is always multiple parts, making airplane travel challenging and it’s quite pricey.  None the less, as a mom with a wide jogging stroller, this piece of equipment is certainly worthy of a go around.

Just some stuff I think is cool.  What do you have or want to try that you think is worth wishing for?

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>wishful wednesday: new heating and air system

>I bought this house that we moved into last fall. Shortly after we went under a long contract, we found out I was pregnant. Since I am self employed and pay for my own health insurance, it was much more prudent to stay in California and move here in the spring. Which is what we did.

When I had the house inspected, I was informed that the heating and air system were old, but working fine. I figured I would need to replace them in a year or so.

Not such the case…

On our first hot day here in Minnesota, the air conditioner took a dump. A huge, stinky dump. And it was sweltering hot in our home. No one slept. Made for a cranky day the next day.

So I called for help, hoping it was just a quick fix and we’d be off.

The technician listed so many issues, that I finally stopped him and said “What you are getting at is that I need a new system.” He replied “In a nutshell.” It was a huge nutshell. “And while we are at it, your heater is old.”

Yah, the heating and air are original to the house, that was built in 1979.

He gave me a few quotes ranging from $7000 for low efficiency (no tax credit) systems, to $10,000 of higher efficiency systems that meet the tax credit requirements. OUCH!

So, I got another quote.

This guy quoted me $7000 for the same system as the $10,000 quote.

But, just for good measure, I got another one. And I still haven’t received that quote.

From Jonathan’s research we learned that they are quoting me on great AC systems that meet the tax credit requirements, but I can get the tax credit if my heat is more efficient. AC systems are more expensive.

Doesn’t it make better sense to get a more efficient furnace, that costs less than an efficient AC? We are in Minnesota, after all, I would think we would use the heat more often.

Bastards are trying to pull one over on me. Thank goodness Jonathan is a researcher extraordinaire.

What pisses me off is that I know that a lot of this stems from me being a woman. And I know it happens more often than not, and I let them get away with it.

But what also stings, is that it looks like I am going to spending at least $5K to get a new system.

Depressed.

>wishful wednesday: a house on gray’s bay (lake minnetonka)

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Minnetonka Baby Moccasins Giveaway ends Thursday June 17th at 5 p.m.

Be sure to ENTER to win.

I found this area just five minutes from our new home. Some of the most picture perfect, charming lake living I’ve seen outside of a magazine. I wouldn’t mind living right on this lake. But am thrilled to be a few short minutes from it.

>wishful wednesday: understanding and compassion

>I’ve read posts by fellow bloggers, Blair (www.theheirtoblair.com) and Allison O (www.omyfamily.com) on this topic and it got me thinking…

Motherhood is hard. Period.

I’m certainly not suggesting that I don’t want to be a mom or don’t absolutely love being a mom. My girls are my everything. My whole world. I am invincible because of them. I’m just saying, as my fellow bloggers much more eloquently put it, that motherhood is different than I imagined.

What do I mean by this?

I anticipated spit-up covered clothing. Pureed food in my hair. Kid stickers on my sleeve. Goldfish crackers, raisins, juice boxes and bottles replacing my fancy cheeses and wine of my kidless years. Laundry madness.

All of this I expected.

What I didn’t anticipate is how much of a softy I really am. Training and disciplining is harder than I ever imagined. Listening to my child cry herself to sleep, feeling like a bad mom, even though I know its the best thing for her. Putting my toddler on a time out for misbehaving and feeling like she thinks I don’t love her.

I didn’t expect that I would have moments when I would feel inadequate as a mother, a friend and a partner. I didn’t anticipate that I would feel so unproductive with simple day to day tasks because the process of diapering, feeding, nursing and bathing ate up my whole day, exasperating my feelings of being inadequate.

And I never thought that I could function with the level of exhaustion I get to, which is likely the cause of all these feelings, I would guess, in most moms.

But, when I take a minute to appreciate those special moments with my girls. The moments when Hadley is singing to Hayden. Or when we are all snuggled up on the couch. Or Hadley strings together a whole sentence in response to a questio. These are the moments that remind me about what I did imagine motherhood to be. While they don’t make the sleep training and disciplining any easier, or the utter exhaustion go away, these are the moments that remind me that I am a good mom. These are the moments I hoped for when entering into parenthood.

More over, despite all this, raising children is the most important, most rewarding adventure I have embarked on. But, still the hardest thing I’ve ever done.

What do I wish for? For understanding and compassion. For moms partners to try to understand this other side, somewhat darker side, that lots of moms with babies go through. As Blair of http://www.theheirtoblair.com put it… “Its not 24/7 picnics and skipping and lollipops and unicorns.” But, also know that our babies are the most miraculous, wonderful things that happened to us.

— Post From My iPad

>wishful wednesday: good sleepers

>I goofed with Hadley.

I never let her learn to self-soothe herself to sleep as a baby. As a result, we have challenges with her sleeping. However, at the moment, we are in the final week of living at my mom’s home in San Clemente, so we muscle through the rough nights and continue with a not so great habit or two.

But the plan is tat once we are in our new home in Minnesota that both kids will be age appropriately sleep trained. And Jonathan and I will have our nights back. And maybe we can even go on a date or two.

— Post From My iPad

>wishful wednesday: a second car

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We are a one car household. Have been for some time, with the exception of the couple of instances when my mother was out of town and she left her car to our care. But prior to living in Southern California and Nevada, we lived in the heart of San Francisco and we really could have easily had been a no car household. San Francisco has wonderful public transit and terrible parking, so you could understand where we are coming from.

Bottom line, we need a second car. If not to transport kiddos, just to transport ourself if we are without the kiddos. Often, poor Jonathan is left at home with CNBC and no way out because I am out with Hadley for the day. Or, like now, for instance, Jonathan had to run a few errands and I am home with the girls, wishing I could load them up and go get some lunch.

We are getting ready to move across the country in a week and a half. So as a means to pass the time, we’ve been researching cars. Test driving cars. Going round and round with conversation as to what our second car should be. Or should I say, how it should function. For example:

* Should our second car be a “family car” that can carry

two car seats and a double stroller comfortably.

* Should our second car be a “fun car” that can take a car seat or two in a pinch, but really intended for adult use only, whether it be on errands or date night. Our Acura MDX would continue to function as our kiddo car.

* Should we spend very little money and buy a beater.

* Should we buy a beautiful, used car, like a BMW o

r an Acura (worked out well with our MDX).

* Should we take advantage of 0% APR deals cu

rrently available and buy new.

Lot’s of considerations and, really, no wrong answers. But, in the mean time, we have enjoyed test driving some rides. So far, of all the cars we have driven, I have been the most impressed with the new Toyota Rav 4 and the Mazda 6.

The Rav 4 is quite spacious and comparable to the MDX, the engine is peppy (so Jonathan tells me) and has that wonderful new car smell. Plus, Toyota has some excellent financing deals.

The Mazda 6 (fully loaded) is amazing! You’d think you were in a BMW. The interior is luxurious and spacious, and the exterior is beautiful. Not to mention it has a bit of kick to it’s step. The trunk is even large enough for a double stroller.

I don’t think that we will purchase a new car… Well, maybe. We’ve been enjoying a debt free lifestyle. But these are both cars that I am wishing for.

Any second car recommendations out there? (No mini van’s – not a fan!)