Share your toys...

I mean sharing baby toys (equipment, toys, books, etc.) that is. Today we had a play date with a Dear Friend and her Dear Daughter. While we were there we borrowed her baby food processor and planned the return of a previously borrowed exersaucer and a swing. Then, ironically, when we pulled into our driveway later this afternoon, a neighbor, who is the Grandma of a 2 year old, handed down a baby activity walker to share with our Baby Boy.

Why buy anything these days for baby or toddlers when they use the supplies for such a short time? Once you have a network of friends with similar age kids and a good supply of stuff- start sharing your toys. There are so many benefits to this, it saves money, allows you to try out products you might otherwise not have purchased, and keeps used baby things out of our land fills.

This is not a new idea by any means but today really reinforced it. So keep your toys in good condition (we all know we can't help some wear) and pass them along to another family.

Happy Sharing!

Our Baby Boy (at 3+ months now) still likes to have his multiple midnight snacks....this means that we just can't move him in with our Dear Daughter yet. So, the latest plan is to move the crib in our room.

I get a little obsessed with projects and research. Last night I was looking on line for some toddler beds to see my options. My Dear Daughter L-O-V-E-S the Disney Princesses (and Fairies) just as much as the next Preschooler. I came across some over the top beds.



Those are not really my style- even though my Dear Daughter would loose her mind to find one waiting for her. I think we'll stick with something more along these lines.



I'd really rather graduate her to a real big kid bed, but her room is small and we'd like to leave some space for when Baby Boy is ready to move in with her.

For now though, the 3 year old will be the only one sleeping peacefully in a quiet room.

A project update...

Picked up about 200 photos on Sunday and I did not just toss them in the storage box. They are in their albums! And in the process I came across a stack of photos just waiting to get organized too so they got put in the albums also.

I am still working on moving our Baby Boy in with our Daughter. I am hung up on paint and nursery bedding. I went to a "real" paint store. I've never been in one before. I do have to say while the selection is great it can be a little over-whelming compared to Home Depot! I did find a green and the color green paint that I like. This paint brand, little Yolo, had sample squares that you can tape up to the wall. We'll see if I go with it. I like the idea of a not so toxic substance in the babies' room too.

We are lucky to be expecting our second child this Winter. We are thrilled....but we have a girl and of course we are having a boy this time around. I know, I know, we are lucky to have one of each. But this means we have to buy everything new for this little boy because everything, including the car seat, was pink.

So I've started my project of sorting through all of the bins and boxes that house all of our girl things. As I have started this process, I realized that I don't want to just give away things blindly to local charities, but really ensure that they have a good purpose. I have done some research, and have found a couple of great options for our gently used baby clothes and gear.

First, online communities and auction sites (like EBay, Craigslist) to sell items that are new or almost brand new are a great. I also have the opportunity of posting sale items on a local mother's club website. For the majority of clothing and some gear, I have visited local consignment stores. They are pretty particular about what they take, but if they want what you have they are can be simple and moderately profitable. You'll split the profit at a designated percent. Last, instead of just sending the more used things off to the Goodwill( I love Goodwill but they are so broad), I have found local donation sites that are specifically for mothers and children. I love the idea of giving directly to the audience that will benefit.

Not only has it been a big project, but just keeping the bags and boxes that are going out organized is a job in itself. All the bags are labeled with contents and destination. Then I use my daily planner to make note of where and when items were donated and dropped off.

Sippy cups are for....vinaigrettes?

I love hearing of ways people reuse items. Over the last couple of days I heard of two ways to reuse common baby/kid products that I just had to share.

1) Sippy cups. I read somewhere that a Mom reuses her children's old sippy cups to make vinaigrette salad dressing. It totally makes sense, with the lid you can shake it (be sure to put a finger over the spout). And the small spouts keeps the dressing from spilling out too much. Helping to not overdress the salad and make it a little more healthful.

2) Formula Dispensers. Today during a playdate, a Mom friend of mine pulled out an old forumla dispenser when her 1 year old wanted a snack. No more formula in there- she uses it to store small snacks now. Each compartment nicely holds goldfish and other small snacks.

Recycle your Crocs

People love their Crocs. They are not my first choice for footwear, but I do have to say they are great for kids. The Croc Mary-Jane's let my daughter run around the playground and get dirty without the worry of ruining her other shoes. When they get grimy, I drop them in the washing machine and they are as good as new.

The other great thing about Crocs is that they have a recycling program. I know in our house, these shoes get a work-out (not to mention how quickly kid's feet grow, you're ready for a new pair before the current ones are even worn in). On a recent shopping trip to a sporting goods store, Sport's Basement in the SF Presidio, I noticed they have a Crocs recycling display.

It turns out that the Crocs company, has a recycle/reuse program for old Crocs. The program is called "SolesUnited". Through this program, used (original) Crocs are restored and donated to people all over the world.

So, next time you are looking for good playground shoes for the kids or yourself think about Crocs. Not only are they practical but they are planet and people friendly. Check out their website for more information and donation locations.

http://www.solesunited.com/

Toddler proof Christmas Tree

This year instead of pulling out all of our delicate glass blown ornaments on tiny little hooks, we opted for a tree decorated with paper cut outs. I used a pack of scrapbook paper with fun patterns and made cut outs and a garland. This way when our toddler decides it would be fun to pull the ornaments off the tree we don't need to worry about her getting poked or breaking something. For older children, this is a great family project.

Tips for keeping your child safe around your tree and decorations:

1. Make sure your tree is anchored securely. Use a sturdy stand and weight down with bricks to ensure the tree can't tip over.
2. Place tree in a corner, to minimize traffic around the tree.
3. If possible, set up tree outside of child's usual play area.
4. Cover outlets near tree.
5. Don't use breakable ornaments or place them up high.
6. Use ribbon rather than hooks to attach ornaments.
7. Place edible ornaments up high, or don't use to reduce temptation to taste all ornaments and lights.
8. Move furniture away from tree that a child could climb up on to reach high branches.
9. Refrain from using tinsel, it is a choking hazard.
10. Miseltoe and holly are toxic to humans, so make sure it is out of reach.