Babes and Kids

Babies One Step is giving away a free baby blanket with a cute stuffed animal, until March 15, or while supplies last.  Isn't it cute?  There are 3 to choose from, and you do have to confirm your e-mail to get the freebie. There's definitely one headed my way.   Click Here for the free blanket! I saw this deal on Money Saving Methods. It's a site I have bookmarked and has already saved me tons.

If any of you have ever watched the signing time dvd's or want to encourage sign language with your baby or child, the signing time dvd's are a great way to start.  Best Buy has 2 different gift sets that have 3 dvds on sale for $14.99.  These are normally retailed at $60, so this is an awesome deal!

I had a request for baby proofing and thought it was a really good idea. I don't consider myself an expert, and I've improvised many times to try to baby proof. So here are a few ideas and tips to get you started. In later posts, I will review different products that we are actually using to baby proof and why we do or do not like them.

My very first tip would be to get on the floor. I'm sure you will feel awesome doing this right? Yes you may feel dumb, but crawl around and see things that you could "get in to." Babies have a totally different perspective. They don't see the world from a 5 foot + perspective. By getting down on the floor you will see things that you might not have noticed before. And believe me, your little one will find every cheerio, every dust bunny and more....and then will proceed to eat them all :)

I notice that my home is most baby proofed when I keep it clean. It seems like simple common sense, but it really works. If there is a lot of clutter, you better bet your baby/toddler will get into anything within their reach. By keeping your home clean, you also avoid choking hazards. Babies use their mouths to experience the world and will put anything in their mouth - it's just second nature. In fact, I pulled a crayon out of Rowan's mouth today and found a penny in there the other day. I know well where the crayon came from, it's called his 3 year old brother, but I have no idea where the penny came from. It's scary to think how easily he could have choked on that penny.

Another tip for baby proofing is to give your baby their own designated cupboards.I have a cupboard in the kitchen that just has pots and pans in it. It is easily accessible to Rowan and he knows he can get into it. (It used to be the drawer under the oven when we lived in our apartment - alas the picture.)  He loves having the independence and not being told no, and also getting to play with the pots and pans. This is something I wish I would have done when Chandler was a baby. He got into every cupboard and was always making huge messes. I didn't restrict him or give him his own cupboards, and although it was fun for him, there was always a mess for me to clean up.

Something else that should be common sense is to make sure all cleaners, sharp objects, medicines, etc are kept up high or locked up.

Make sure your bookshelves and dressers are secure. Chandler has a pretty light dresser in his room and Rowan pulled it over on himself one time when he started pulling up. We fixed the problem by making sure there was more weight in the dresser and then tried ourselves to pull it over.

This last tip seems funny but has worked for us. At around 8 months when Rowan started crawling and getting into things, I would tell him no in a firm voice. Although he didn't necessarily understand what no meant at first, he understands it perfectly now at 13 months. I was consistent in telling him no and gave him alternatives of things he could do or play with. We have a gas fireplace in our basement and I was really nervous when we moved into our home 2 months ago. We thought about getting something to go around it, but decided to see how Rowan acted with it. When he would go near it, we would say, "No...hot!" I would hold his hand close to the fireplace so he could feel how hot it was. He kept testing his limits and we kept telling him no in a nice but firm voice. This last month he hasn't gotten close to the fireplace as he knows he isn't supposed to. I thought it was young for him to understand this, but it's been a great way for us to baby proof.

I know some of these tips might not be what you were expecting, but from a mom's view, it is a few things that have worked for us. It is important to try different baby proofing methods and decide what works for you. I remember someone once telling me, "Take what advice you like, and use it. Whatever you don't like, just throw it out the window." Simple enough, right? Good luck with your baby proofing and watch for reviews on different products that will help baby proof your home!

Shape sorters are great educational toys.  They help teach shapes and encourage your child to problem solve.  It is a basic toy that I'm sure you will find in many toddler's playrooms.  

I'm sure many of you reading have seen Supernanny.  If you haven't, set your dvr, or do a little research on her.  

Last week, I reviewed Method's Squeaky Green Baby Wash.  Since I really liked this product, I decided to try out the baby lotion as well.

Thanks for your feedback everyone!  I'm excited to review some of the products you suggested.  I'm going to be looking for guest reviewers on some of the bigger ticket items, like car seats, strollers, etc.  I don't like to review products that I haven't personally used because I don't feel like I can give an honest review if I haven't used it.  

I just saw this on slickdeals and thought I would share.  Land's End has a cute Baby Gift Set that includes 5 embroidered wash cloths and a rubber duck for $6.99.  Shipping is free when you use the code TULIP and pin 0000672.  It is originally $16.50.  If you've ever bought anything from Land's End you know what good quality it is.  Great deal!

If you haven't noticed, when you come to the site now, you are redirected to the new domain!  If you would change your bookmarks to: 

It seems like we are still experimenting with sippy cups.  If I find one that looks new or that I haven't tried yet, I'm up for giving it a go.  If you are a new reader to this site, I reviewed sippy cups last fall.  You can find the reviews in the "sippy cup" labels on the right hand side.  Back to the Gerber Graduates Tossable cups.