New Address!

Hello, I am going to start posting here: ECO GREEN BEAN

Hope to see you there!

Happy Canada Day, everyone!

Their Milkshake Brings All the Babies to the Farm

Along with many vitamins, an omega 3 fatty acid known as DHA found in fish and walnuts is essential in your pregnancy diet. This is good for the development of your baby's brain, eyes and nervous system and YOU. If your baby is not getting enough DHA, s/he will start sucking the DHA out of you!

I rarely had time to cook a meal that contains enough DHA but I prefer to get my vitamins through food rather than supplements so I found a local dairy farm that carries products that contain DHA.

Avalon Dairy has been around for many years. It is tucked in the Killarney residential neighbourhood on Wales street about a block south of 41st Avenue. It's a real farm but you won't see any cows there.

The product with the DHA is known as Vitala Milk. It comes in a plastic container or the old school glass bottles which are cool looking but doesn't hold very much (you get your deposit back when you return the milk bottles). You can also buy Vitala Milk from IGA, Meinhardt, Thifty Foods, Famous Foods, Drive Organics, and Save-On Foods/ Whole Foods. They also offer a delivery service to houses.

But I enjoy going to Avalon Dairy because I get ice cream, smoke cheddar cheese and other dairy goodness there as well.

Links for Reference

Old posts that may be helpful to new readers.

Milk Storage - Space Saving Tip

Milk Storage - Timelines

Government Paperwork Checklist for Newborns

Ridding of Spit Up Smells

Cloth Diapers - Sample Pack Review

Cloth Diapers - Why We Chose to Use it

What's the Cost to be a Stay-at-Home Mom?

I've been reading a lot of mommy blogs and found that many of them have something in common. They are stay-at-home moms. After reading more of their posts and putting the pieces together, I also noticed that many of them have spouses with a middle range income. I'm quite baffled at how a moms of 2+ children can stay at home.

I am becoming more attracted to the idea of being a stay-at-home mom. However, losing one income is quite a hit for our family. And having one child doesn't not warrant quitting my job and spending all my time with him. However, having multiple children would make more sense to stay home but that also means I would have more mouths to feed with one income.

Unfortunately, our family are not in the position to live on the income of my Ed's alone. We are renting and saving to purchase our own home. But if you live in Vancouver, you would know that housing prices spell out i-n-s-a-n-e.

If there's a way to make this work, I would love to know! Perhaps we should start buying lottery tickets...

Excuse Me While I Stuff My Face

While I was pregnant, there were many things that I couldn't eat. The foods that I couldn't eat, regardless of whether I liked it before or not, became my cravings. I had a lot of caffeine and sugar in the form of starbucks lattes, pop and teas when I wasn't even a coffee drinker before I was expecting.

My favourite foods are raw - blue steak, all sorts of fresh sashimi, rare lamb (according to my previous post, I shouldn't even be eating lamb), ahi tuna, and raw oysters. I was good to not touch any of that for 9 months.

photo taken from RecipeTips

Another weakness of mine are Vietnamese subs, especially ones from Ba Le and Au Petit Cafe. It's not the deli meat that I was concerned about, it was the thin layer of pate that makes it so sinfully good. But that was also what makes it a pregnancy crime to eat.

Pate contains higher levels of the listeria bacteria than other foods. It also contains high levels of animal based form of vitamin A (retinol) since it's made from liver. It's not that the vitamin itself is bad for you but too much of it is.

Simply speaking, you get a fair amount of vitamin A from your daily diet (fruits, veggies, cereals) and your prenatal vitamins. Eating liver will bring your level into the danger zone which is harmful to your baby. Not many ppl care much for liver, but I love fois gras so watching my husband eat a plate of seared fois gras (which reminds me it's time for his cholesterol check up) during our anniversay dinner at Le Crocodile almost brought me to tears.

Since I love fancy and raw foods, and anything with alcohol, I didn't get to eat much because I didn't like what was good for me like potatoes, rice and other pregnancy goodness. Instead, I had a lot of milk... in the form of ice cream.

However, being pregnant gave me a reason to eat like I haven't eaten for weeks. At work. To and from work.

And in the middle of the night.

And again shortly after.

A Time Saving Appliance

I dedicate this post to a mother-to-be friend, Christine. Last weekend, I attended her baby shower with Ed and Kyle. She was the person that I made my diaper cake for.

Halfway through the party, I had to feed Kyle. I took out the bottled milk, found a cup to fill it with hot water but I couldn't find any hot water. I wasn't looking for a kettle, I was looking for an electric thermo pot. But she didn't have one (or maybe I didn't look hard enough). My friend found a kettle-like thingy on the stove and it's been forever since I've used a kettle! My immediate reaction was 'But she's Chinese, how could she not have one!' I ended up warming the milk with running hot water from the sink (not very eco-friendly!).

Most people (I'm afraid I can't say everyone anymore) that grew up in a chinese family would have used an electric thermos pot because I swear it was in every chinese kitchen that I've been to.

However, if you don't have one and have a baby, you may want to consider getting one. It may not be as hot as kettle boiled water but it is definitely hotter than the bottled or direct tap water dispensers. When you are trying to warm milk in the middle of the night, the last thing you want is to wait for the kettle to boil.

I have this one, it is a Panasonic one that holds 3 litres. There are larger capacity pots and 3 'Keep Warm' temperatures with the hottest one being 208ºF (98ºC). 3 litres was enough before Kyle came along as it was primarily used for making coffee and teas but now a larger one would be more convenient as I don't need to refill it every night.

There are other brands that make these pots and you can find them at Forum Home Appliances. They are around $130-$200 depending on capacity and brand. I recommend Zojirushi (w/ an elephant logo), Panasonic and Tiger Brand.

Name Labels for Kids' Clothings

Name Labels is a Canadian company that makes woven labels that can be used to label your kids' clothings. I have bought from them before for identifying my crafts with my company name and was satisfied with their no-frills service. If you are not picky about having a design on the labels and do not mind sewing or ironing the label, I recommend Name Labels because it is cheap. I bought 100 labels for $10 so it comes to 10 cents each. Since it is not a self-adhesive labels, it cannot be used on items where you can't iron or sewn on.

Other companies that makes self-adhesive labels can charge up to 50 cents each because it is coloured or has images printed on it. Those can be used to stick on childrens' cutlery or other articles that can be easily misplaced or mixed up with other kids'.

Getting Rid of Spit Up Smells from Clothing

Milk residue scent on clothing is hard to get off. Since Kyle's been spitting up a lot, many of his clothing and especially bibs have an annoying smell on it even after multiple washings. I managed to find a solution to get the smell out and the clothing smelling clean as spring.

1. Do a rinse in the washer with a cup of white vinegar.
2. Do a regular wash and rinse cycle. During the wash cycle, use your regular laundry detergent and add a few drops of dish detergent (I used Palmolive's Green Apple but the clothes don't end up smelling like dish detergent so I don't think it matters what you use).
3. Do a rinse cycle with water only.
   

This actually takes a long time and uses a lot of water so I tried doing step 1 or step 2 only to see if I can eliminate a step but the result remained smelly. I think it's easier to just buy new bibs for him. As for clothing, I try to do this once in awhile when I have a full load of clothes with the smell.

If Only Nursing Pads are Big Round Stickers

While nursing pads that prevents milk leakage from showing on your tops are a great invention, why is the sticky patch on the other side always so small? We're talking a centimetre by 2 centimetres. It's already hard to stick on fabric and having the sticky patch that small is as good as not having a sticky patch.

I'm talking to you, Medalla, Lanosinh and Johnson & Johnson pads.

Making My First Diaper Cake

I made my first diaper cake over the weekend. My cousin made me one for my baby shower and I thought it looked easy and fun to make. Being a super crafty person, I actually found this pretty hard to make compared to my beading and felt pins projects.

Nonetheless, i still think diaper cakes are fun and useful for new moms-to-be. You can surely customize it to what you want to give.

Ingredients - Diapers, fleece blankie, blue bunny rattle, a pack of 3 bodysuits, glass plate, small bottles of shampoo/cleansers/etc, a container of wipes, ribbons and cellophane wrap. Glue gun can be used to glue the ribbons. Ribbons, plate and cellophane wrap can be found at the dollar store.

Place the wipes container in the centre of the plate. Wrap the fleece blankie around the container to give it more girth. Roll the diapers and hold it with either a ribbon or a mini elastic band. Wrap it tightly if you want to squeeze in more diapers. Place the diapers around the container. Wrap a thick ribbon around the diapers covering the elastic bands and secure the ribbon with tape or glue. You may need an extra set of hands to help you .

Repeat the same steps for the second layer of diapers. You can add the bodysuits in between the diapers. For my cake, I put the 3 bodysuits together at the 'front' (where the rattle will be facing).

Same for the third layer. Place the rattle on top of the third layer. It looks nicer without the backing on the rattle but it was easier for me to place it on top by placing the cardboard back between the diapers for support.

Tie a ribbon on the socks and mini bottles and attach it to the thick ribbon around the diapers on each layer. You can use larger bottles and squeeze it between the diapers if you wish.

Wrap the cake in cellophane wrap and tie a bow on top. Your cake is ready to be served!

Finishing touches - you can line tissue paper at the bottom and crinkle the ends to make it more decorative if you feel the first tier is too plain. I glued stones to the ribbon because I thought the ribbon was too plain. There are cellophane wrap with designs on it such as stars or ducks, etc.

Tip on Storing Milk in the Freezer

Anyone want to play poker with my card bricks? :-P

Storing milk the conventional way can be a space waster as it is bulky. Milk storing bags are designed to have the milk stand upright and when it freezes the bag expands. I have been freezing milk flat so that it saves space since you can stack them one on top of each other in the freezer. I place it in a larger zip loc bag (the medium size bags can hold about 15 milk bricks). Milk bricks take a lot less time to defrost. You need to make sure that the milk bag is sealed tightly and make sure to get all the bubbles out first.

Before I pour the milk into the bag, I write the date on the date tab first with a pen. Then with a marker, I indicate how much milk there is because when you defrost, sometimes you need to do some math to get the amount of milk you need for the feeding(s). Then I number the bags in order. That is so I don't have to rifle through the zip loc bag to find when the 'next date' is. If I used up number 5, I know that bag 6 is up next. The date is written for the purpose of expiration. If remembering the number is too much work, you can mark the next one with a post-it note or a coloured clip (see first photo, on the right with the green post-it).

When you defrost, place the frozen milk on a plate just in case it leaks so that it can catch the drips. If you notice the bag was ripped in the freezer, it's better to throw it out.

I label everything clearly and indicate the volume of the milk. You will be glad you did if you are in a rush or if you are instructing someone else to defrost milk in your absence.

Use for Newborn Booties

Kushies Terrycloth Newborn Booties

If you find baby mitts are too loose on your baby's hands and keeping losing it (they tend to find ways to fling them off when you are not paying attention), you can use newborn baby booties that no longer fit their feet as mitts. The elastic area is tight enough to hold the mitts in place but not too tight to leave marks.

Milk Storage Timeline

I've been pumping a lot of milk lately to ease the pain of engorged breasts. My friend recommended the Gerber Nuk Seal 'n Go Milk Bags. My pump is the Medalla Swing and I love it because it's compact and it is used by local hospitals.

I try to breast feed whenever I can. Bottle feeding is my last resort if someone else is watching Kyle. There's a chance that you may lose antibodies, fat or leukocytes found in breast milk (live cells that carries immunity from mother to baby) as they may stick to the side walls of the containers or plastic bags. The milk bags are made specifically for storing milk so they do a better job at maintaining the milk components mentioned above.

I've figured out a rotation schedule for my storing my milk whereas I have not figured Kyle's feed/eat/play schedule yet!

A lot of parenting sites offer valuable advice on milk storage with a slight variation on dates. I took advice from different sites to set my own system. This is how I am storing my milk in rotation.

1) Pump milk into a Medalla plastic bottle.
2) Store milk in fridge with date pumped on a sticky note. Store for 5 days in the fridge. If I know that I would not be bottle feeding that week, I store the milk directly in a Nuk bag for freezing.
3) By the 5th day, I transfer the milk from the bottle to the Nuk bag.
4) Freeze in the fridge freezer overnight.
5) Place the brick of milk in a zip loc bag and move it to a separate deep freezer with a constant temperature.
6) Use milk within 6 months of storage.

My timelines are less than what is normally recommended because I want to make sure that the milk doesn't go bad.

You may notice that I call the milk a brick. I will share a tip on space saving on my next post.

Cloth Diapers Sample Pack

Last month, we picked up the sample cloth diapers from New & Green Baby Co. For about $200, we got a sample pack for 2 months to see which type of diapers we want to go with.

This is what's included in the kit:

• 18 Kissaluv size 0 cotton diapers
• 4 Newborn Diaper Covers
• 4 Small Diaper covers
• 3 Small AMP All in One Diapers
• 3 X-Small Fuzzi Bunz Pocket Diapers with Insert
• 1 Large At Home Waterproof Storage Bag
• 1 Small Out and About Waterproof Storage Bag

Accessory Items to Keep:

• 5 Microfleece Liners
• 1 roll of Bio-Soft Flushable Liners
• 24 Cloth Wipes
• Try it Size Wipes Cleansing Solution
• 40 Loads Wonder Wash Laundry Detergent

Here are my reviews after a month of testing these diapers out:

AMP All in One Diapers - During the first week, I preferred the AIO diapers more than the others, mainly because it was simple to use and it's very much like a disposable diaper. However, even with 2 liners, it leaked on me on the 3rd try especially near the thigh area. The diaper is thick but not very absorbent. The outer layer is waterproof and the inside is usually lined with fleece, cotton, hemp or microfibre without additional filling. Ed mentioned after that it could be because Kyle was not big enough to fill the diaper so it was loose causing the leaks. We will give the diapers another try in 2 weeks when he's bigger and update this review.

Kissaluv Cotton Diapers with Bummis Super Brites Diaper Cover - This was initially my least favourite because I felt it was a hassle to put on the cotton diaper and a diaper cover on top. I changed my opinion after using it for a week. The cotton diaper was snug around the baby's thighs without leaving a binding mark and kept the poo in. It does not seem appealling to think that the diaper will most likely be wet and moist by the time you change it (that's why you need a waterproof cover) but there is a reason why it's better to have the entire diaper absorb the pee. When I used disposables, the pee was all concentrated in the crotch area where it holds the most liquid. After using it for 3 changes (I was lazy that day and we received a lot of disposables from friends as gifts), I noticed that baby had a diaper rash. That didn't happen when i used the cotton diapers. It also helped when there's a liner as buffer between the skin and the cotton diapers.

Fuzzibunz Pocket Diapers - This is like the AIO diapers with a pocket for microfleece liners. Ed tried using this for overnight because he added more microfleece liners for more absorbency for night time. It didn't work and the diaper shell was soaked after a couple of hours (we only change when he cries for a feeding at night). It was not fun to remove the soaked liners from the shell, it was an extra step that I did not need. This was my least favourite diaper.

I find that cloth diapers mask the smell of poo better than disposables. When Kyle pooped in a disposable, I can tell right away but I'm usually unsure with the cloth diapers. I'm not sure why though.

My choice of cloth diaper - Cotton or Bamboo Diapers with Diaper Cover.

Baby Cloths/ Wipes

You can never have too many wash cloths around the house. They are not always used for washing but rather for wiping up spit ups, milk and other baby messes. After a month of using different brands of cloths, here is what's left of the wipes.

Left to right: Chick Pea, Cotton, Piccolo Bambino, Honey Bunny Organics
Bottom centre: Kushies 2-ply wash cloth

Honey Bunny Organic Cloths ($6 for 3)

These are by far the worse ones (see left, click on image to see larger version). After the second washing (in gentle cycle), the edges frayed and curled up making it frustrating to fold into little squares. They come in packs of 3 (above image, top right) and I don't know if the fact that it's organic is what makes it so flimsy. I like that it's thin so that I can easily wipe Kyle's hands and get into creases. But after the 5th wash, the cloth is no longer in the shape of the square nor could you tell that it used to be square.

Kushies 2-ply Bath Cloths ($6.50 for 3)

These are great for bath time. They are thick and did not lose shape with multiple washings. They are slightly larger and noticeably thicker than the standard wash cloths. There is a sewn on trimming around the cloth to help prevent curling and fraying which makes it a lot more durable. A bit on the pricey side, they are worth the cost unlike Honey Bunny Organics.

Piccolo Bambino 12 pack Wash Cloths ($7 for 12)

Ideal for gift giving as these are packaged in a mesh wrap. These are quite thin as well but they are still holding the shape after many washes. The edges have curled a bit but did not fray. I use these for the same purposes as the other thin cloths.

Cotton cloths (prices and brands vary)

I am using the generic ones that came with the cloth diapers. These cotton cloths get softer with each washing. A small number of them have stretched out a bit in one corner but feels durable. I was expecting pilling on these cloths but that has not happened yet.

The Chick Pea cloth is holding up like the Piccolo Bambino. It was given to me in a Chick Pea 10 item baby basket that was bought from Winners. No one else has heard of Chick Pea and those that shop at Winners know that if you see a brand you like on a visit, it's unlikely that it'll be there again on your next visit. If anyone knows where else you can get Chick Pea baby baskets, please let me know. I enjoyed all the items that came in the basket and would love to purchase those for expecting friends.

I recommend washing the cloths in a laundry bag to prevent losing the thin ones in the wash, especially if you have the older machines where there's a gap under the rotator where the water is drained. I have lost many socks in the black hole!

Paperwork Checklist for Canadian Moms

Here's a checklist that you may find useful after giving birth to your baby.

• Canadian Birth Registration - this gets you the birth certificate (application will be given to you at the hospital in a package).
  
  
• Medical Services Plan (included with the hospital package) - your child will have a MSP number assigned to him/her at the hospital.
  
  
• Social Insurance Number (SIN) (included with the hospital package) - even if you are not planning to send your child to work, he/she will need a SIN in order to have a bank account or for you to set up RESP.
  
  
• On the form in the hospital package, there's a box where you check off if you want to receive the child tax benefit - check YES! Your child will be automatically enrolled in the Universal Child Care Benefit (UCCB), Canada Child Tax Benefit (CCTB), the BC Family Bonus (BCFB) and the BC Earned Income Benefit (BCEIB). The UCCB is what I grew up calling 'Milk Money' which is $100 per month.
  
  
• Canadian Employment Insurance - Because getting any money back from the government is good!
  

Optional applications:

• Passport application - your child will need a passport even for cross border shopping. Since this is a busy time at the passport office for the summer, I plan to apply for Kyle's passport near the end of summer.
  
  
• Opening a bank account - it's never too early to help your child save money and teach them about savings and the value of money at a young age. Some banks offer childrens savings accounts. I'm not sure how that is different from adults, perhaps no fees or a free toy when you sign up.
  
  
• Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP) - savings for your child's post-secondary education. At the time of enrollment, contributions up to $2,500 per year are eligible for a 20 per cent Canada Education Savings Grant (which is $500), up to a lifetime maximum grant of $7,200 per child. An additional grant is available for low and middle-income families; a separate application needs to be filled to receive it.
  
  
• Work benefits - adding your child as a dependent to receive your extended/dental health and other work benefits your job offers.

Meet Baby Kyle

I had my baby about 3 weeks early!

Everything went well and Ed and I are super excited to continue this journey together with our little bundle of joy!

The nurses and doctor (my obgyn was on rotation that day, what luck!) were great at BC Womens although it's clear there are cutbacks at the hospital...

Kyle is not named after Kyle Wellwood as many would think since Ed and I are Canucks fans. If we were to name our son after a Canucks player, we would choose from the first line and not the third line... :P

Why We Choose to Use Cloth Diapers - By Ed

My dear wife has asked me (several times now) to post on the blog and explain the decision as to why we will be using cloth diapers.

There's a multitude of information and resources and I'm not too interested in regurgitating word for word what's out there. I'll append a list of resources at the end of this post. Briefly here are my comments.

Why cloth diapers? Why anything?

There are clear benefits to using cloth diapers to the environment, to the child and to the wallet. The opportunity cost is time in the form of more work, principally in laundry.

For me, the benefits outweigh the costs. At least the theory does at this point. I'll find out when I give it a try. That's the simple explanation.

The longer one is this.

We live in a world of distractions and it's easy to make excuses. We are collectively what we are individually. Seemingly innocent acts can build upon itself into something entirely greater and more monstrous than intended - like mountains of decaying diapers leaking its contents into the groundwater for the sake of convenience.

Our generation is now dealing with the consequences of the excesses of our parent's generation. Our children will likely feel the full brunt of decisions made in a time when there was little understanding of what those decisions would lead to.

We all have an obligation to be aware of the systems in which we are situated, and to work a bit, at the margin, to correct them.

I ain't no hippie, but I'll try to do what I can.

Resources:

Beginner's Most Frequently Asked Questions about Using Cloth Diapers and Why Cloth Diapers? - from Parenting By Nature

Articles on Cloth Diapers - from The Diaper Pin

The Green Renewal of the Cloth Diaper Industry - from Scientific American

EarthTalk: Cloth or disposable? The diaper debate is back - from The Christian Science Monitor

Caring for Cloth Diapers - from Childbirth Solutions

Chinese Customs? You Don't Say!

The Chinese have a lot of customs when it comes to almost everything. These are some of the customs that I've heard of or have to follow. There are many variations to these customs... many of them I find are quite amusing!

During pregnancy

• do not sit cross-legged or reach up as the umbilical cord can strangle the baby. So how does this work for mothers that practice yoga?
  
• leave the room if your husband is hammering or moving the furniture or your baby will be born with dents on their face. I suggest the opposite if you want your child to have dimples!
• do not eat lamb as it will cause the baby to have epilepsy(!!!)
  
• do not consume cold drinks (this goes for everything such as after birth or when you are having your period, it seems like old chinese ppl don't like cold drinks at all)

After Birth (usually in the first month)

• stay at home for a month (this is reasonable as this is an important time to heal)
• ginger vinegar makes up most of the meals
• taking ginger baths using the ginger skin that was peeled from the ginger used to make the vinegar
• drinking chicken-wine soup, basically cognac and silkie chicken (black chicken) - Delish!
• remain at the dining table during dinner until you have finished your meal or you will not have bladder control when you are old (!!!)
  
• do not consume cold drinks!
• having a one month or 100 day celebration of your baby. This used to be a tradition that applies to baby boys only but nowadays, parents would celebrate regardless of gender.
  

SO pregnant

Today is my first day of mat leave and I planned to surprise visit Ed at work. I went to pick up some pastries for his co-workers and arrived at his office to lunch with him.

After lunch, we decided to take a walk around the block. 5 minutes later, I had to stop. Ed was amused that I sat on the curb between 2 parked cars to catch my breath. I was sooooo tired from walking!

The best time of my pregnancy was my second trimester because I didn't feel pregnant. That was when I started seeing the bump, feeling flutters and was still mobile.

Now I feel heavy, waking up in the middle of the night to eat, huffing and puffing from walking, seeing my stretch marks (already!) and the line from the belly button to the pubic area starts to get darker. Although my sciatica remained the same, my hips are pretty painful because my hipbones have shifted to get ready for baby to bust out (this is what causes women to 'waddle' when they walk). Even though I am very nervous about being in labour, I want my baby to come out now!

Diaper and Wipes Sale at Superstore

We picked up a few baby necessities from the Real Canadian Superstore. I'm not sure if it's a good sale but since the items we bought were half priced, it seemed like a good deal.

This was our haul:

Teddy's Choice Club Pack (reg. price $14.99) - Sale price at $6.99 (limit 6). We got one box of refills and the dispenser and one box that is just refills. The 2 boxes of over 1100 wipes comes to around a penny each. We want to use re-usable towels but when we go out, it's likely that I will be bringing this as I don't want to carry dirty towels around.

PC Green Diapers (reg. price $16 for sizes 1-4) - Sale price $8. We will be using cloth diapers but we picked up some disposable ones for when we go out. We also picked up a pack of N (for newborn) in case the baby comes before we have a chance to pick up our cloth diapers kit. N size is not on sale. They are $10 for 40 diapers. I hear that the first 2 weeks, the baby will be going through about 10 diaper changes per day. If they poo so often, maybe I can leave them in their diaper for the next few rounds and save some diapers... ;)

Planning for a baby is expensive, it feels like it's an eternal debt I have to pay for (it sounds worse than what I actually mean!) and when the baby outgrows diapers, there's also food, education, clothing and their activities... sigh...

Swap Meet Purchases

It's a good feeling to walk away with purchases knowing that you've got a deal on something that you actually need. It's better when they are new and unused! Here is what I've bought at yesterday's swap (some new and some old items).

The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh ($3) and The Velveteen Rabbit ($3) - These were in excellent condition. We wanted to get some classic books and found these.

Daddy's Picks
3 under shirts ($2.50 for all), sleeper and hat ($2), and blanket ($1).
I wasn't crazy about the undershirts but Ed pointed out that the first 2 months, we'll only use it a few times before the baby outgrows it. The blanket was a splurge purchase since baby won't be using it in the crib so we might use it for changing.

Mommy's Picks
Old Navy shortalls ($3), outfit with hat ($2),
and a large soft velvet-like blanket ($1)
My favourite purchases are the blankie and the shortalls. I intend to use the blankie to line the floor when baby starts to crawl. It's soft and thick.

Total of $16.50. All the clothing items came from one vendor. Their items were either new or kept really well and clean. We saw a Graco baby monitor for $20 but decided to put that on the baby registry instead.

First Baby Swap Meet

I went to my first ever Swap Meet today. It is a baby swap meet at the Poirier Community Centre in Coquitlam. We picked up another couple on the way there and met a 3rd couple with a kid there. The meet was much bigger than I expected, I was expecting it to take place in a small gym, but the entire community centre (5 rooms and hallways) was packed with tables including outside.


I've never been to a swap meet before and the thought of buying used baby items was not that appealing to me. However, if you're saavy enough, you can walk away with some great items. We saw a bassinet that was all yucky and yellow with filth though. That was pretty funny, and no, we didn't buy it.

Here are some things I learned from today's swap meet.

Dos:

• bring your own bag. A lot of the sellers do not provide bags and it's better for the environment.
• bring change, don't bring bills larger than $20.
• browse through all the tables first
• consider the age of your child when you buy clothes for the future. For example, my baby will be born in spring so there's no point in buying a nice puffy jacket that's for 12 months old.
  

Don'ts:

• push others. Although this is common etiquette, there are a lot of expectant mothers at these swaps and I've seen lots of mothers with kids pushing others around to get to the tables.
• bring your baby in a shopping cart size stroller. These are packed events and it's best to leave the stroller with someone by the side, or carry the baby in a sling.
  

I'll post my findings in my next post if I have time.

Kidsvancouver is a great site to get news on upcoming swap meets (and other resources).

Pregnancy Etiquette for Friends of Expectant Parents

There are many reasons why expectant mothers do not immediately tell friends that they are pregnant until their first trimester is completed. A percentage of pregnancies end in miscarriages during the 1st trimester. However, not a lot of people understand this.

When parents are expecting and want to keep it in, they will remain mum until the time is right. No one but the parents should be the judge of determining when to tell others. However, there are lots of giveaways in the 1st trimester such as bigger breasts (unless you've been keeping a close watch on your friend's breasts, it shouldn't be that obvious), drinkers not drinking, coffee drinkers ordering decaf, sashimi lovers suggesting a another restaurant other than Japanese, and so forth. As mentioned, there are many reasons why parents choose to stay mum. But most expectant parents would have a sharp friend who would pick up these signals. What's unfortunate would be if the friend is someone who cannot keep their trap shut.

I have seen many of my friends get busted by some know-it-all at dinners who doesn't have the courtesy and etiquette to ask questions such as 'Are you pregnant?' privately, and to let the subject go when the parents stammer one excuse after another awkwardly.

I did not experience these situations as the expectant parent myself but something of the same nature happened to us. My husband told his paddling team about my pregnancy, and immediately, someone from his team texted my teammate to reveal the baby news. What's weird is that the person who did the texting were frenemies with the person he texted to and they don't talk often or even like each other. Of course, my teammate texted others right away before confirming with me about the news. Anyway, that really took the joy out of me sharing the news with others, thanks to these thunder-stealing acquaintances.

There are some things where it's not appropriate to race to be the first to tell everyone, and someone else's pregnancy is one of them.

Leg Cramps

Since my 2nd trimester, I've been having the occasional double leg cramps in the middle of the night. They've been bearable and I managed to suffer silently and wait until the cramp subsides and fall asleep again.

Last night, I woke up suddenly in the middle of the night to my leg cramps again. Except this time, I was in AGONY! I sprung up in bed and started yelling at Ed to punch my calves. It was SOOOOOO painful that I was in tears and I couldn't even move to try to stretch it a bit. Ed had no idea what was going on and he was thinking of taking me to the hospital because he thought it was my tummy cramps. I was like 'No, no! I have leg cramps I need you to squeeze my calves!!' since I couldn't reach beyond my knees.

He started working on one leg and I was yelling 'Both! They both hurt!' He started working each leg with one hand and I yelled 'Need 2 hands each, harder! HURRY UP!' Poor guy!

That was the worst case of leg cramps I've ever experienced and it lasted only about 5 minutes.

The next day, I started reading up on preventing pregnancy leg cramps so that I don't have to go through that ever again. Maybe it's a taste of what labour is like.

Ed and I will be doing some leg stretches before going to bed (drinking milk before bed for calcium boost helps too). I should stop sitting crossed legged because it's not good for me and the blood circulation but I can't help it because usually at work or at home, that is the only position I feel comfortable in. I also have a bad habit of sitting with one feet up on the chair but my mom scolds me for not being lady-like and that the position opens up the cervix. Not sure how true that is.

[update - January 31, 2010] since this post, I've had 2 heart ripping agonizing leg cramps in the middle of the night.

Building my own crib bedding set accomplished

This was what I bought in place of a crib bedding set. This is purely for the crib and not the nursery. I am comparing this to the original 4 piece Kidsline organic set I saw over the holidays that retails for $230. It includes dust ruffle, comforter, bumper and one fitted sheet.

The list below are my recent purchases, and I can only give an opinion based on the looks and feel. I do not have a crib yet so I cannot comment on its functionality. These items are bought from the usual baby stores at their holiday price.

Kushies Organic Crib Fitted Sheets in Mocha and Sage ($20 each)

The feel is a softer than the other organic sheets that I've felt. The colour of the sheets are the same as the bag. Elasticized for fitting and sized to allow shrinkage.

Carter's Crib Bumper in Sage ($36)

Being a fan of Carter's, I was excited to see that they made bumpers as well and they are good at it too! This bumper is thicker than the ones that come with crib bedding sets and is noticeably softer because it is velour (goes well with the fuzzy dice hanging in baby's love shack). The dotted texture adds a nice touch too. This is my favourite purchase of everything that's listed here.

Natures Purest Sleepy Safari Organic Velour Cow ($28)

I was a bit hesitant on this purchase because it costs $28. I have bought blankets from Target and Carters from the Seattle Premium outlet for less than half the cost. This was definitely a splurge and I don't want to return it since it was bought from TJ's online and I didn't want to deal with the internet guys. However, it's quite soft and thin and Ed wants to keep it for baby. Our baby will be born close to summer so a comforter would be too thick anyway and I noticed that most of our friends' babies tend to kick off the comforter. Perhaps it's too heavy or hot. This blanket also comes in the design of an elephant and safari.

Total purchase in place of a crib set - $104 (I got an extra fitted sheet instead of the dust ruffle). Savings of $126. You can definitely add other things to match your crib set such as pillow, basket liner, changing pad cover, and window shades.

Baby Kicks Harder

Tonight Ed and I felt harder kicks from baby. It was quite exciting as I can start to see the movement of my belly on the outside.

Mommy Brain gets Distracted by $240 Deers and Bunnies

I must admit that now I am getting into the 'decorative' mode and I realize how parents can drop money into building their nursery. I used to say that an empty cardboard box would be perfect for a crib and adding a rope to it can turn it into a stroller. But that quickly became 'Honey, what theme should we have for baby's room?'

For those that are curious, I have an answer to my own question. The theme will be earth colours (with a hint of my own favourite colours, I am the one carrying baby for 9 months, afterall) - mint, light browns, beige, tan and baby blues. It's easier to put blue in a girl's room than pink in a boy's room.

One of the first things I saw were crib sets. They range from $150 - $270 for 4 or 6 piece set. I had my eye on the Kidsline sets, the designs are clean, but mainly eyeing the Bunny Meadows and Willow (their organic line) sets. On the left is Bunny Meadows, how could you say no to cute rabbits? It costs $230.

My other choice is Willow in similar colours with a deer design. It is similarly priced as well.

Is it worth it to pay $230+ for a crib set which includes bumper, fitted sheet, comforter/quilt and the dust ruffle?

In my opinion, the answer is no. The bumpers that I've seen in crib sets are usually made with a rougher feeling cotton, and thinner than I would like for a 'bumper'. If there's a good reason for it, please let me know. As for the dust ruffle, I don't need it, baby doesn't need it so it's just for esthetics.

My next task is to build my own crib set for less than $200.

Happy New Year!

I wish everyone a prosperous 2010 and lots of babies. Actually no, I'm not excited that there's a baby boom coming up. Thinking about finding a daycare centre now is giving me a headache!