Happy Hedgehog Nursery

I've shown you elephants (here), I've shown you giraffes (here) and today I'm showing you hedgehogs.  Maybe I'm feeling nostalgic about never getting a high score on Sonic the Hedgehog, maybe I just loved the Land of Nod bedding below.  Either way, here is an orange, gray and woodsy collection of hedgehog items for a gender neutral nursery.

Image Sources - see below

Details on these cool products:

Throw pillow by Laura Frisk

Hoop Art by Box Room Bazaar

Bright Eyed, Bushy Tailed Bedding from Land of Nod

Tree trunk lamp from Svpply

Bib by Pocoa Poco Baby

Xtina, Bodhi and the Kardashian Trio

It's Friday, so let's keep it light.  How about a week in review of celeb baby news?  Let's do it.

For starters - Xtina is preggers again!!  This is definitely worthy of the double exclamation point.  Her son, Max, with her ex-hubby is already 6-years-old.  So, she hasn't done this in a while.  It's certainly a sprinkle appropriate occasion, although I think celebs have a full blown baby shower for every baby.  Just one of the many ways that the rules don't seem to apply to them.      

Megan Fox and David Silver welcomed their second son, Bodhi Ransom.  Not long ago, I told you that I was excited for all these celebs who are expecting baby boys.  And this is why.  Hollywood has not been disappointing with boy name choices as of late.  Bodhi is not nutso, but it's unusual.  We're all familiar with the name Bode, thanks to Bode Miller kicking it in Sochi.  Bode and Bodhi are different spellings of the same name.  And, believe it or not, Bodhi has actually been in the top 1000 US names since 2010.  It's at the bottom of the list, but it's there.  Now Ransom, let's be real - nutso.  I mean, not completely and utterly nutso, but standard nutso.  It was actually popular at the turn of the 19th century (circa 1915), making this name a mashup of modern and vintage.  I love it, in a I-would-never-name-my-kid-this-name kind of way.

The real star of the real Beverly Hills 90210.
image source

The Kardashian sisterhood announced their baby fashion line.  Yawn.  Jessica Simpson also has a fashion line for everything ever, but she doesn't make such a big deal about it.  Why do they have to announce everything?  Why do they have to be such attention...needers?  I say all this, but then I also On Demand the 2 part episode of Keeping Up With the Kardashians when Kanye proposed to Kim.

Thoughts on Christina Aguilera's pregnancy news?  How about the name Bodhi Ransom?  Will you buy clothes from the Kardashian fashion line at Babies R Us?

Snow Snow Go Away

I couldn't let another day pass without venting about all this snow.  If you don't live in a part of the world that has been smothered by snow storm after snow storm after wintry mix, here's a visual:

It's snowing.

It snowed.

Some version of the above two photos is outside my door, day after day.  And I'm sick of it.  Not just because it's cold or because it requires me to dig out my ungaraged car and clean it off and warm it up before going anywhere.  And not just because my front stoop is hopelessly covered in ice or I fear death by icicle when I go to the bank.

Getting yourself and a toddler equipped for the snow covered outdoors is a friggin pain.  The gear is incredible - multiple clothing layers, enormous coats, hats, mittens, scarves and boots.  My normally sturdy toddler is an impossibly drunken sumo wrestler under all the woolen, downy weight.  My glove covered hands can never find my keys.  We both slip, constantly.  She can't see under her over sized hat that never seems to just sit on her head.  Meanwhile, I usually forget my hat and we have to go back.  If we have to carry anything other than ourselves, it will add ten minutes to the process.

When we finally make it to the car, approximately twenty six minutes have passed since we began putting on our coats.

Then, the car seat project begins.  I usually take off her puffy coat once we're in the car thanks to all those horrible reports about the dangers of your baby/toddler wearing a big down coat in a car seat.  But, the car is absolutely freezing.  Usually colder than outside.  How is that even possible?  So, the car has to warm up before I can take off her coat because, as mentioned, it's absolutely freezing.  Other than not wanting her to be terribly cold, the last thing I need is for her to get pneumonia.  We've already been battling every winter cold (and stomach bug) that exists in the world.  

It's been forty minutes since we embarked on our winter errand and I finally pull the car out of the driveway.  If I'm lucky we can actually go forth, if not I realize that I've forgotten the letter I need to mail or the shoes that I need to return back in the house.  And, when that happens, I sit there (listening to Down by the Bay off of Raffi's Greatest Hits) and wonder how the hell one does this with two kids.

Double the Baby, Double the Gear?

When you add a second baby to the mix, what else do you need to add?  What other stuff do you need?  Some baby gear from your first born can be reused, but some can't.  Inevitably, you will need some additional things and some different things.  The following list is a brainstorm of the Reusable Stuff versus the New Stuff.  It's based strictly on common sense (and not experience) because I am a mother of one.  Kindly note that my common sense is not always measuring at a respectable level.

I've broken it down by category: Eat, Sleep, Travel and Everyday.

EAT 

Reusable - I think most things in the EAT category are going to be reusable, like bottles, a bottle drying rack, baby utensils and plates, food storage containers for the fridge and freezer, a breast pump and a Boppy/My Breast Friend/the like.

Purchase Necessary

• Bibs - Some of these may have suffered significant wear and tear.
• Bottle/Sippy cup brush - It was probably time for a new one about a year ago (hopefully you took care of that), it's definitely time for a new one now.
• Breast milk storage - This depends on what kind of storage you used and what you plan to use.  If you are into the plastic bags then you'll need more of those suckers.

I own this OXO bottle brush and am happy to report that
I replaced it midway through my bottle washing days.

SLEEP

Reusable - Your bassinet/co-sleeper, swaddle blankets and monitor are probably in good shape and reusable.  If you used a white noise machine or mobile, those are reusable as well.  The crib, however, is entirely dependent on whether your first born is still using it.  If baby number one has moved on to bigger bed pastures, then the crib falls into the reusable category.  If baby number one is still behind bars, then you're looking at your biggest round two purchase.

Purchase Necessary

• Bedding - A set or two of new sheets is probably in the cards.
• Wearable blankets - This will depend on how your old ones held up.
• Extra monitor camera - If you are still using your monitor with your first born, then you'll want to add a camera to your system so you can spy on both kiddos.

This is a travel crib by Baby Bjorn.  I don't have it, but I've seen it in action.
While I don't love the price tag, I do love how light weight it is...like a feather,
especially compared to the Pack N Play, which I do have.  

TRAVEL

Reusable - This category has some big ticket items, so it would be nice to reuse as much as possible.  You should be able to put your infant car seat to use for number two.  It's unlikely that safety standards have changed much (or at all) and it's likely that it's in good enough shape.  Your carrier, whether you went with the Bjorn or Ergo or Moby or some other cool choice, will definitely make a reappearance after a quick refreshening.

Purchase Necessary

• Portable crib - If number one still needs a portable crib, then you'll need another for baby number two...I guess...right?  It's hard for me to imagine a hotel room with multiple portable cribs, but what's the alternative?  I would love for someone who has traveled with two babies to chime in here. 
• Toddler car seat - Your first born will probably still be using the toddler car seat when your second born is ready to transition up, so you'll need to purchase a second toddler car seat at that point.  They stay in car seats forever.
• Double stroller - If your first born is under four years, you'll need a double stroller.  (Side note: four years is a total hypothesis on age, I don't actually know when most kids give up the stroller.)  Some single strollers are designed to attach an additional seat, so if you have one of these guys then you'll just need the extra seat.  If baby number one is closer to the four year mark, you may be able to get away with a ride along board (see below).

This is the ride along board from Uppa Baby.  Some boards are brand specific and some are universal.

EVERYDAY

Reusable - Some clothes, shoes and accessories will be reusable, though this depends on a bunch of factors that I talked about in a post a couple weeks back.  You can also reuse some health and safety stuff like thermometers, nasal syringes, an infant bathtub, towels and washcloths.

Purchase Necessary

• Pacifiers - They're inexpensive and seem likely something that should be fresh and new.
• Clothes, shoes and accessories - You will probably need some of this stuff based on seasonal, size and gender differences between your little ones.
• Diapers and wipes and ointments - Obviously.
• Humidifier - If you have two babies with two head colds (a total nightmare), everyone will need their own humidifier.

What am I missing?  I feel like a lot.  

What were you surprised to be able to reuse and bummed to have to purchase?  

A Baby Named Valentine

I've never met anyone named Valentine.  I've never even heard of someone named Valentine for that matter.  It's a bit surprising that some celebrity couple hasn't jumped on it.  You have the cute nickname of Val.  It means strong and healthy.  And, of course, it conjures up notions of love and chocolate.  Valentine Affleck totally works.  I bet Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale would have done it if they had (or were having) a girl.  

To those of us named Valentine (no one that I know) and to those of us not named Valentine (everyone that I know) - I hope that today brings you the kind of love that exists at the Heathrow arrival gates.  Have a fantastic Valentine's Day.