Metadad

Top Children’s Books Ever

metadad — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 17:40:35 +0000

Some good ones on here. Oh, that Toad.

Charlotte’s Web #1. Hard to argue. Did like that Hardy Boys made the list.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/05/opinion/05kristof.html?_r=1

Nicholas Kristof – NY Times

Green Baby Gear + WD-40

metadad — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 03:57:23 +0000

They say that reusing is a better alternative than recycling. I’ve been a Craig’s List hound of late. And couldn’t be more pleased with my recent deal. A third-hand, few-year old Maclaren Techno XT.

We picked up an UppaBaby G-Lite a while back and it’s not not very good on anything more than a very flat surface. Uneven sidewalk cracks bring it to a crunching halt. The wheels have popped off as did another piece near the handle. The company was kind enough to send us a replacement lost wheel at no cost. But, frankly, we just don’t love using the stroller.

The Techno on the other hand, is fantastic. It retails new for over $300. We picked it up for $25. A hand-cleaning of the cushion/seat and a little wd-40 on the brakes and wheels – nearly as good as new.

If you can – we definitely recommend buying used when it makes sense. Except for car seats – you can’t risk buying a car seat used that may have been involved in an incident.

Organic Baby Food Formulas

metadad — Mon, 19 May 2008 02:53:47 +0000

I’ve been meaning to post our recommendations on formula for some time. Interesting read in the Times this weekend about the cane sugar sweetener in the top-selling brand, Similac Organic. Read the story here.

We tried a few of the regular and organic brands before reading through the nutritional information and ingredient sources of Baby’s Only, from Nature’s One. You may have seen this brand at Whole Foods. We started buying the stuff by the case, as well as Nature’s One’s DHA additive when our little guy went to formula. In bulk the pricing is comparable to the bigger cans from the major brands at Target.

Nature’s One was also a great discovery – it’s where we first learned about the potential dangers of BPA plastics in formula packaging, bottles and sippy cups. We were pleased by Nature’s One’s response to BPA concerns as posted on their website.

Should you put your baby on a schedule?

metadad — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 02:15:36 +0000

New parents often debate whether to try to put their baby on a schedule or to roll with a more, um, natural style of parenting. As it usually turns out, if there is at all a debate, the answer is usually to go with the schedule. Usually, the on-demand crowd is unaware of the wonders of The Schedule. Ignorance is far from bliss as it usually turns out.

The Schedule, when well-implemented, gives both parents and baby a daily rhythm that everyone can rely on. When baby cries, it’s easier to know whether it’s because of hunger, diaper or need for sleep. Over time, it’s likely that the baby may sooner sleep through the night, and have reliable nap times. Both are great for getting some adult time.

This is a highly personal choice, but we have some books to recommend if you are interested in trying to get your baby on a routine.

Gina Ford’s The Content Little Baby Book, lays out a rigid schedule from the early weeks into toddlerhood. Eventually, we found Ford’s agenda a little too strict. But in the early months, the recommended times for eating, napping and sleeping were very helpful. Particularly enlightening were tips to actually wake up the bambino when necessary to keep them on a regular schedule.

The Baby Whisperer takes less rigid approach. emphasis is on regular routine rather than activities at prescribed times. Author Tracy Hogg’s EASY acronym – eat, activity, sleep, your time – became a mantra to get us through many early days.

SIGG Bottle deal on Celebrity Baby Blog

metadad — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 22:52:18 +0000

You’ve seen them in the aisles at Whole Foods. You may be seeing them at the gym, the playground, soccer games. Hopefully.

Non-toxic, no waste, no petroleum-based plastics. They are the more stylish and safer successor to the Nalgene.

They make great gifts, too.

http://celebritybabies.typepad.com/reviews/2008/04/sigg-bottles-in.html

Rules for dining out with young kids

metadad — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 01:52:51 +0000

Great article in the San Francisco Chronicle about the trend of dining out with young kids. I didn’t realize we were so unoriginal, but we love taking our little guy out to a meal at least once per week. We like exposing him to both new flavors and new environments. He seems to be stimulated. From a selfish standpoint, we get to maintain some element of our old lifestyle, involve the kid in our world and there’s nothing better than seeing him devour a half-sour pickle at a NY deli or stuff handfuls of seaweed salad into his mouth.

But we always try to be conscious of the restaurant, wait staff and other patrons when we go out. Even to casual places. The tips for parents in the Chronicle story are a great starting point:

– Work on good manners at home, not just when you’re out.

– Practice dining out at more casual restaurants so kids learn some ground rules.

– With younger children, be realistic about how long they can sit.

– Arrive within the first hour of service, with kids who are hungry but not starving.

– Bring a goodie bag of new coloring books, or reserve certain toys for restaurant dining.

– Don’t let children leave the table. It’s not safe.

– Don’t assume that fellow diners want to interact with your kids.

We would also add the following:

Order something for the little one as quickly as possible
Bring a big bib, and consider bringing your own placemat
If your kid leaves a mess, and they will, consider leaving an above-average tip in consideration of the extra cleanup

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/03/25/FD3EVLC1V.DTL

Robeez Tredz – The perfect toddler shoe?

metadad — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 21:03:06 +0000

We migrated our little bruiser from Robeez infant shoes to the soft-soled Pediped trainers some time ago. And we love the new kicks. They stay on, he gets traction while learning to walk, and they have some style. Now there looks to be another great toddler option. We were delighted to see the Robeez Tredz announcement – toddler shoes with rubber soles and velcro straps combined with the best qualities of the popular Robeez infant line – including the beloved elastic ankle, as Celeb Baby Blog notes in the link below. We can’t wait to check them out. The “Racer” style looks pretty styly.

Celebrity Baby Blog Reviews: Robeez Tredz: Take your Robeez to the streetz!

Great customer service from Phil&Ted’s

metadad — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 14:13:56 +0000

A little part on our MeToo portable high chair came off. The piece in question comes in contact with the table that you are latching on to – looks like a hex nut with a disc on the end. Anyway, fell off and we dropped an email over to Phil & Ted’s US distributor, Regal Lager. We asked them to send us a new piece to put onto the chair. But, because the chair was under warranty, they sent us a new one – arrived in just a few days. We really appreciated the rapid response time, pleasant exchange and the new chair. Thanks for your help, Monica. We still love our Phil & Ted’s MeToo, and the T2 travel cot as well.

Safe plastic baby bottles and sippy cups

metadad — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 04:10:46 +0000

Z Recommends has a comprehensive directory of baby bottle and sippy cup manufacturers and their use if Bisephenol-A and potentially dangerous chemicals in their plastics. It’s an incredibly worthwhile read. We threw out all of our Avent bottles after learning about these chemicals – replacing them with the BornFree bottles and sippy cups. We’ve also been using the Playtex system with sterile, disposable (and recyclable liners). Was great for reducing air and gas in the early days.

Sherpani Wahoo – adjustments

metadad — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 18:27:02 +0000

Thanks for the comments below. Unfortunately we never heard back from Sherpani. Perhaps it has something to do with the Wahoo being a remainder product.

Should be apparent, but the yellow clips are the ones that you should use for entry/exit of your bambino. You should be able to leave the other straps adjusted the same way and expand as the child grows. There are three yellow clips – two for over the shoulders, one for on the side.

We still can’t get the adjustments just right. Our little guy always seems to lean to the right. But he’s digging it -riding high and surveying the surroundings. That said – good design, comfy fit. Would love to try a Deuter pack, which we’ve seen around a few times. Seems light and well-designed as well.