A new Mom's search and recommendations on baby stuff

This might be a little lengthy (ok--REALLY lengthy), but I think might prove pretty helpful to those new Mom's out there.

First I want to say that something I really enjoy and find interesting is research. Online research is the best, but investigative research is great also. The reason why I am mentioning this is that when I was pregnant with Elodie I did a lot of research on the reviews of certain baby items. I did this through several websites, but found that Babies R Us and Amazon had the most reviews. I made sure to look at both the good and bad reviews of each item. If I couldn't find a review, I'd look on an online chatroom or board and get the info from there, sometimes having to post as an anonymous person to ask a question and get an answer.

We were given lots of advice from friends and family, and tips on this baby item or many gifts from our baby showers. Since this was our first child, we live in a small cottage for her first 4 months, we didn't want to go overboard on needless baby stuff, and we didn't require any frou frou or luxury items. we decide to just get the essential items that a newborn will need (i.e. bassinet, changing table, blankets, diapers, etc.), and then at a later time we can look at other stuff as we go along and learn.

So, I really paid attention to coupons and shopped around to get the best prices. True, I had to do quite a few trips back and forth with returns and exchanges, but in the end we ended up spending only a fraction of what we expected ($500 instead of $1500) for the essential items, as well as saved about $500 off these essential items by shopping around for the best deal (this meaning it would have normally cost us $1000, but with shopping around, we got the same items for $500-and I have the spreadsheet and receipts to prove it--lol).

On a side note, but just as important, I want to share with you the baby items that we have found to be so valuable and truly essential, those items that didn't come up to par, and the reasons why. I have put this in a Word Document, as so not to take up too much posting room. Click on the chickadee picture above and it will take you to this htm webpage.


Happy Baby time!
Jeyn

3 weeks today!!..

Happy 3rd week birthday Elodie!!

You are definitely getting bigger (and wiser!). You are also starting to make great efforts to hold your head up when lying on your Dad's chest.

On Saturday was your Mom's birthday, and your Dad was so thoughtful and surprised her with Happy Birthday signs on the porch with lights and balloons, and a fat chocolate cake with lots of candles and fun birthday gifts. We also received some gifts for you from your Auntie Sandy (Auntie Jen's Mom) in Rosarita Beach. A darling bunny blanket (see pic), a soft plushie girl doll, a rabbit blankie, and a cute mermaid handmade clay dish for me.

We have finally come close to depleting your diaper stock so I am ordering more diapers for you today, hoping you'll still fit into the size I order, since I'll probably get a good sized amount of them. And soon your Dad can help feed you with bottles of yummy breastmilk--mmmm..yum!!

What??? 17 days already??

OK, I'm officially in love with our little girl. Her face is not the little smooched up, wrinkly face at birth, but is now smoother, rounder, and changing every day.

She has her little moments where she huffs and puffs (literally), but that just means she is hungry and excited to use her breastfeeding VIP pass (which, by the way, is already worn out--but not expired--yet!). I participate in this excitement with her by talking about a milk party and wiggling like I had a tail, and this seems to get her even more excited.. I swear I see some smiles. She is definitely starting to recognize that "shirt" means "boobs", and boobs mean "milk", as she points now and tugs a bit at my shirt.

Sometimes I have to check to see if she is breathing because she is so calm and quiet that she looks lethargic and drugged (again milk is probably the culprit). But I would probably say that my favorite is usually after a feeding, or at night, with her small, but big eyes, she just sits there and stares at things around her. She looks like she is at peace and happy and curious, which in turn makes me happy.


So far in these past 17 days, I've been pooped on, pee'd on, spit up on, projectile vomit on (see Exorcist minus the swearing), drooled on, and my favorite, her passing gas when checking her diaper close up or when rubbing her back. How many people would you allow this to happen to you?

Speaking of people, I was driving on the busy 101 and 85 freeways yesterday and decided to go into the carpool lane because I "do" have 2 or more persons in the car. Then I thought, what if they consider a person an adult? I thought, that's ridiculous, if a cop stops me, I'll just ask him/her, "what? a baby is not a person? a human being"? Ding! ..yet another benefit of being a parent...yeah!

bienvenue a elodie olive

chere elodie,
un petit bonjour de tonton jc et tata vero, de France...on ne te voit qu'en photo, mais on t'aime deja.."you're really so cute"!!
ca fait du bien de voir de nouveau un petit enfant dans la famille, et nous pensons deja à toutes les fetes que nous partargerons avec toi, de pres, ou de loin (noel, anniversaires, paques...)..
et tu sais , quand tu seras plus grande...je sais tres bien coudre les habits de poupée Barbie!!!
en attendant de voir pour de vrai ta jolie frimousse (en mai), nous t'embrassons bien fort..
tata vero et tonton jc
ps : ta mamie de France, mamie colette, pense bien fort a toi aussi, et t'embrasse bien fort