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I was so excited to dress Sofia up for her first Halloween but I didn’t want to spend $25+ for a cute costume that she will wear once. Luckily, I found this amazing second hand store chain here in Connecticut and they had costumes for all ages. I found the perfect fairy costume for under $10, amazing!! I dressed her up and she was so good, no crying or fussing. She did try to eat the dress a bit, but she looked so cute doing so.
We had few kids show up despite the crazy nor’easter. After some pictures we put one of my favorite wigs on her. A friend commented and said she looked like Troy Polamalu and she really does. She even started playing with the wig, twirling it with her fingers… a Diva in the making. As for my costume, I was a mommy zombie, the walking dead. I already resembled an animated corpse trying to come back to life. xoxo, Kathy |
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The Baby Gear and More Blog
Posted on December 15, 2011 - 8:43 am
Posted on November 29, 2011 - 7:29 am
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One of my favorite registry items is a table top swing. It is perfect to put on the bed, counter, floor or table and watch our little one while we eat or work on something. I know Sofia likes it too. Besides the fun she has with the music, vibration and one of her favorite toys, Mono (meaning monkey in Spanish), it has special meaning to us. We call it the Poop Chair.
I know kind of disgusting but anytime we think she needs to go or we put her in that chair, she poops. It’s magical. I don’t know what it is, maybe because she is upright but she plays with her Mono then does her business. When she is done we clean her up and put her back in so she can enjoy the rest of her time in there. We’ll see how long this lasts. xoxo, Kathy |
Posted on November 14, 2011 - 3:56 pm
Sofia is eight weeks old and now that we have somewhat of a routine and have tested almost all of our baby products I have an idea of what is most useful, for our lifestyle. Move over Letterman, here is our top ten:
(You can find some of these items right here on BabyGearandMore. For ease of shopping, I've linked to some of the items we use and adore).
1. Receiving blankets: I thought I had too many but you can never have too many. I use them all the time, especially when going out with her.
2. Mosquito netting for the carrier/stroller: We go for walks around the lake or to the park and it keeps the bugs away. We bring it with us when we travel.
3. Formula dispenser: it has three compartments that can hold about 3-4 ounces each. It is great for traveling and easy to prepare bottles.
4. Itzben: this is a baby care timer that allows you to track changes, feeds, sleeping time and set alarms. I am sure you can use apps or other items but it’s very helpful the first few weeks when your baby is not on a set schedule and you need to track all of this for your doctor’s visits.
5. Bibs/burping cloths: you can never have too many of these.
6. Pacifier: although we were strongly against this, it helps sooth her and when she doesn’t want it she spits it out. We don’t force this.
7. Bassinet: we have one that is portable, the actual piece that the baby sleeps in. It is great and easy for travel. We just fold it up and take it with us. It has built in music, a light, and vibration.
8. A wetbag: We have a travel wetbag that is perfect for when you need to change your baby and place their soiled clothing or dirty diapers in it while you are away from home.
9. Baby Footie: These are easy and perfect for your baby. It keeps the baby warm without putting too many layers on and it is easy to get on and off.
10. Baby swing: We have a table top swing with music. It is perfect to put her in there when we are eating breakfast and it allows her to sit up and see what is going on. The swinging motion calms her and sometimes puts her to sleep.
There is one item I wish I had, out of convenience, a bottle warmer. I have drop-in liners so I can’t put the entire bottle in a warmer. I have to warm it up in a pot or a mug, which is fine but a warmer would be more convenient.
My wipe warmer is still a great item, especially changing her in the middle of the night. She is not shocked with a cold wipe.
xoxo, Kathy
Posted on November 3, 2011 - 11:04 am
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As a native New Yorker there are some things that are natural to us: jaywalking, honking horns, the subway and our infamous attitude. Felix now understands that attitude is part of my personality and is a common trait of New Yorkers, regardless of their borough. Let’s talk about precious Sofia. I know it takes some time for babies to smile and laugh, but little Miss Sofia has an ATTITUDE. She will look at you like “Really Mom/Dad??”, “Are you really my parents?”, and “Hello! You should have had my bottle ready for me yesterday”. She has mastered the New York attitude and I have to say she got that from me. Felix can’t believe it and I just tell him “You have a problem with that?” (semi jokingly of course). Soon she will speed walk, begin wearing all black, and master jaywalking. I look forward to teaching my little one our ways. Until then we will look forward to her evolving personality and maybe I can tame that attitude a bit. After all she is only a few weeks. xoxo, Kathy |
Posted on October 28, 2011 - 7:45 am
Felix and Sofia. |
After only an hour of pushing I saw the best thing that has happened to my wife and I: Sofia came into this world full of innocence (and already loved by many). She had tons of hair on what looked like an elongated alien-shaped head. When the nurses were cleaning her up, all I could think about is "Why isn't she crying?" After a couple pats on the back and some suctioning she let out a big cry and both my wife and I embraced for a moment of joy and a little relief that she was ok. Fast forward a week... my wife and I haven't slept much and it is all true! Everyone told me that we will not get much sleep... and they were ALL right. Our little Sofia is on a 2 hour schedule that does not skip a beat. If you don't have that bottle ready when she wakes up from her nap, she will chew you up and spit you out like an unhappy customer who got steak well done when they specifically said 'medium well'. My daughter... gosh it still feels weird to say that... looks at me with her bobbing head and crossed eyes and just melts my heart even though she pooped on my shirt when I was holding her yesterday. I learned the hard way to not change her diaper right after you hear that rush of gold hit her diaper because they are never quite done and like to reserve a little something for you when you change them. The best advise I can give any newbie dad, is to keep telling your wife that she is doing a great job with the baby and always tell her that you love her even more. Sometimes a hug or maybe a good back rub let's her know that even with the new baby, she is the best thing that ever happened to you! xoxo, Felix (aka Proud Papa) and baby Sofia |
Posted on October 17, 2011 - 6:00 am
Me and Sofia. |
We did it! Right on time, Sofia came into this world on her due date, August 3rd, at 1:00am on the dot (yes, the blog has a 2 month lag). She is so tiny and perfect. The labor was interesting... I started feeling what I thought were false labor signs. Thinking that it was only the early stage of labor, my cousins came to visit and we walked the mall then around 4:00pm I felt a gush, thinking it was something other than my water breaking. I waited until Felix got home and my-so-called menstrual like cramps got to be 3 minutes apart. Off to the hospital to get checked! Now, still under the impression that I was in false labor and would be discharged, it was a TOTAL surprise when they told me my water broke and that I was dilated three centimeters. No one believed my pain threshold since it was my first baby, but I proved them wrong when I went from three to six and a half centimeters in an hour… One wonderful epidural later (and the nurse apologizing for not believing me), it was time to push. Felix was great and my mom was a trooper (yes, she made it back in time for the birth). Later, I asked Felix if he wanted more after this experience and he said no, he can’t bear to watch me go through that pain again, how sweet and the right answer to the test question. :)
Thank God for the epidural. Although it did give me some relief, I did feel everything. The contractions were two minutes apart and as she was coming down the canal Felix asked, “Is she moving down, can you feel her?”…. ummmm nooooooooooooooo I don’t feel anything. As for the breathing techniques: they are there to help distract you and, thankfully, they did. They were very helpful. I chose to go from a “NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO” pattern to the “He He He Hoooo” pattern. It helped me get through the contractions and control my breathing. Very helpful!
Overall it was a great experience and worth it. I was surprised how fast it went and any preconceived ideas went out the window. To all those soon-to-be mommies out there, have a plan and be prepared to have it changed. xoxo, Kathy and baby Sofia |
Posted on October 13, 2011 - 11:41 am
At nine months. |
And we are at the final stretch. I have hit the ninth month mark. Time has flown by and can’t believe our baby will be here so soon!!
With that said, anxiety has officially set in. We’re still working on the baby’s room and my daily plans are being limited and given in to resting more. Within one week I gained four pounds. The doctor said that is normal and I may even gain up to 12 more pounds these final weeks… excuse me… where is that going to go? Forget waddling, you’re going to have to wheel me around. Instead of being on the go as I normally am, I find myself up earlier than usual, taking care of domestic items, then taking a lengthy nap of two to three hours. I used to feel guilty but everyone keeps telling me this is the time to rest and get as much sleep as I can. I can see why, I can barely go an hour of “work” before getting tired. At least I have great company for those naps, our English bulldog, Chloe. We are finalizing our birthing plan and taking note of any last minute items. Los Abuelos are so very excited and my mom is still on vacation in Puerto Rico and comes back a week before the due date… hope the baby can hold off until her arrival! She keeps telling me to make sure I don’t go into labor before she gets here… OK Mom, I’ll try my best. xoxo, Kathy |
Posted on October 6, 2011 - 11:36 am
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Since I am so close to my due date and am on leave now, I decided to borrow some books from the library that may or may not help with the baby on the way. I have two on nutrition (both Felix and I want to be conscious of what we feed our baby and try to be role models of good nutrition). Having grown up in a Hispanic culture it is a little more difficult to eat healthy. We either have a huge portion in front of us given to us by an aunt (even after we said "no") or some of the items eaten on a regular basis are, well, not "balanced". Heaven forbid we deny that elder or didn’t touch the food... we would be the talk of the family for months. I think we are a new generation that wants to cherish and pass on our culture, especially food, but still want to strike that balance of a healthy lifestyle. Let’s see if the entire family is on board.
Another book we got is about baby signs and how to read your baby when they try to communicate with you (until their verbal skills are developed). I am interested in reading this. I don’t know how much of it will be valid; I mean is that a poop face or are they thinking peas or carrots for lunch? Hmmmmm….. The final book is called the The Secrets of the Baby Whisperer by Tracy Hogg, no lie. I had to get it just for the title. It should give insight on how to “Calm, Connect, and Communicate with your Baby”. I’m a fan of the Dog Whisperer, hopefully different techniques, so let’s see how that goes. I understand that you can only take in so much information and that every baby is different. Experience is always the key, but reading some techniques can’t hurt, right? After the baby arrives, look for a blog later on to see what was helpful, if anything. xoxo, Kathy |
Posted on September 28, 2011 - 11:51 am
 Still brave enough to take the cloth diaper plunge? Check out our Happy Heinys Starter Pack on sale here. |
As many new mothers do, I seriously considered doing cloth diapers. After all, they're eco-friendly and I thought it would be easier. I feel like our generation is the retro generation, we are advocates of cloth diapering and breastfeeding.
However - and all you cloth diapering parents please don't hate me - after much thought, I decided against cloth diapers due to the time and the process of cleaning the cloth diapers. A personal choice. In no way am I discouraging the use of cloth diapers (after all, this site features a veritable treasure chest of excellent cloth diapering options available here; not to mention their sister site, ClothBabies). I admire anyone that goes that route… but as the baby gets older their waste gets more... well... potent and frequent. Changing the baby in itself is sometimes difficult... the smell, color, texture and did I mention smell? Before you get through that you have to try to changing them. It makes no difference, boy or girl, when you open that diaper it can be a bomb that dropped and sometimes they are not even finished! I have had numerous times where I opened the diaper and Sofia decided to continue urinating. Or I go to wipe her bottom and she proceeds to poop in my hand! Seriously, that's happened three times. Recently she decided to aim for the changing table pad, changing table, and hamper. Fun stuff!! After some fast thinking and many diapers later I recognized her cues and learned how to change a diaper as if I was in a pit crew. With these learning experiences I can’t imagine living through the experience (or trauma) again by cleaning and disinfecting the diapers. Again kudos to the parents who decide to go with cloth diapers - you are braver than me. I will try to make it through the diapers to come (or just have Felix change her). xoxo, Kathy |
Posted on September 23, 2011 - 7:11 am
In the sixth and final in a series of guest video blog entries for BabyGearAndMore.com, Mel & El discuss becoming sleep camels.
Mel & El - real life best friends who have known each other since they were 12 years old - are a riotously funny musical and comedy duo that were recently chosen as one of the Best of New York by The Village Voice. Mel & El also have a new widely anticipated web series, The Mel & El Show, which will premiere in September at themelandelshow.com.
For more info on Mel & El, visit their website. Or see their YouTube Channel at: OfficialMelAndEl