Baby in the Big City

Coming back to my blog? . . . and a fun printable!

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsey) — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 18:22:00 +0000

So . . . I haven't blogged in almost 8 months. What?!? Craaaazy. But, I am perhaps thinking about starting back up! I have been doing lots of crafts, DIY, updating etc etc. And i would love to share! And also get back to talking baby stuff, toddler stuff, mama stuff. So, stick around!
Just in case that wasn't enticing enough, I found this quote on the interweb this week, and it brought little (okay big) mama tears to my eyes. So I quickly made it into a printable, printed it, and hing it where I can read it every day. And I wanted to share! So grab a tissue, read it, and remember. They are only little for a little while.

Where You can Find Me Now

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsey) — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 12:40:00 +0000

I'll be the first to admit, blogging can get overwhelming at times. It can start to feel like an obligation and you forget that you used to enjoy it. The main reason I haven't been blogging much is because I actually have two blogs. I have a "personal" blog in which I mainly blog about my son, my pregnancy and the goings-on of our every day life. I created baby in the big city to share more about parenting issues, do occasional reviews etc. But lately I have been struggling to keep up with two blogs, so I have decided that for at least the present time, I will only be blogging on my "other" blog.
If you would like to still follow along with our story/journey/lives feel free to visit me at my other (more regularly updated) blog: mlbecker.blogspot.com.

I hope you are all staying cool in this heat! This pregnant mama is staying indoors (thank goodness for central air!).

Belly Buds Review

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsey) — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 16:07:00 +0000

I recently received a pregnancy product for review that I had never heard of until now. Bellybuds.

They are exactly what they sound like. "Buds" for your belly. Kinda like ear buds, but not. More like little, round, adhesive, speakers. They stick onto your belly so you can play music to your sweet unborn peanut. Bellybuds has done their research, you can read more here about the benefits of in-utero music listening.

It works like this: You provide the musical apparatus (i.e. ipod, cd player, walkman - anyone still use those?), and the bellybuds plug right into to any headphone hook-up. There is sticky stuff (medical grade, skin-safe, replaceable hydrogel) on the back so the buds stay in place. You can even wear bellybuds under your clothing while walking, shopping, at work etc.

Mostly I used the buds in the evenings, after my toddler went to bed. Otherwise he wanted to listen to them, he enjoyed having his own mini-speakers to hold. After he was in bed, I would get the bellybuds out, and lay in bed while reading a book, doing my daily Sudoku, or talking to my hubby. I would try to place one bud near baby's head, and the other a little farther away, and would play music for half an hour or so (at a medium volume). Everything from Michael Jackson to Alexadre Desplat (composer), to Muse (the lighter stuff). A lot of times, the baby would move around, and sometimes not.

(this is a photo from their website, my belly has a few more stretch marks than hers. :) )

I have enjoyed using the bellybuds. I like that I can stimulate my baby's brain before he is even outside the womb. I had previously tried to play music for him with regular headphones, but was never sure if he could actually hear it or not. With bellybuds, I know he can hear the music I am playing, plus it's nice that they are hands-free. With regular headphones, I always had to hold them in place and definitely couldn't have worn them out of the house. The buds always stuck in place, and the gel on the back of my buds is still sticky.

To read more about bellybuds, or to purchase them for yourself and your unborn child, you can visit their website.

*I was provided this product free of charge for the purposes of this review. I was not monetarily compensated for this post. All opinions are my own, your opinions or experience with this product may differ from mine.*

Kicky Pants Review and an Apology

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsey) — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 18:56:00 +0000

Sorry I haven't been keeping up with blogging lately! I have had my hands full this summer with a busy 18 month old, and being 8 months pregnant doesn't make it any easier! But I have lots of stuff to share in the next few weeks before this little one makes his grand entrance, I haven' updated you for awhile!

First up is a review of one of my fave clothing companies for kiddos.

I recently received a sweet new top for my little man from Kicky Pants and I just wanted to take a little time to tell you about them. Kicky Pants is, after all, in my top three for places to get cute stuff for my toddler.

The uniqueness of Kicky Pants comes from the make-up of their clothing. Kicky Pants clothing is made of Bamboo. Yes, you heard me right, Bamboo. Which is awesome because Bamboo is totally sustainable, eco-friendly, and grown without icky pesticides or fertilizers. Plus, it's naturally antibacterial and antifungal. On top of all of that, it is just so soft and cuddly! You can read even more about the wonderful benefits of Bamboo on the Kicky Pants website.

The adorable little top that I received was this striped polo:

I think he looks quite dashing in green and blue stripes, but I may be biased.

And how adorable are these layettes? I might have to snag one for the new little guy (due in early-mid August, in case you forgot).

Kicky Pants is a great company to buy from, started by a husband and wife team out to design something they could use with their own children. Everything we have from Kicky Pants is well made, charmingly sweet and sophisticated, and, most importantly, affordable. It is very evident that Kicky Pants values the quality of their product. But you don't have to take my word for it, even celebrities love Kicky Pants!

If you are intrigued by the idea of Bamboo-made, one of a kind, so-soft-you'll-want-to-buy-something-for-yourself clothing, check them out. They occasionally have online outlet sales, which is a great way to snag something at a huge discount. But, I have to warn you, if you buy something for your kiddo, you will be back for more!

*I received a top in exchange for this review. My opinions are my own. Your experience with this company may differ from mine. I was not monetarily paid for writing about Kicky Pants.*

It's Official: the Answer to the Riddle

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsey) — Thu, 05 May 2011 15:00:00 +0000

We are so excited that we finally picked a name for our second-born son. It has been on my mind for weeks and weeks now, and I am so glad it is finally official. It really makes the little monkey wiggling around in my tummy seem more like a person, and more like our child.

This new little boy, who is very active, very strong, and I think just a little bigger than our first son was, will forever be known as:

It has a nice ring to it, don't you think?

We weren't intentionally going for another "M" name. It was just the one that best fit our criteria. We wanted something that sounded nice with "Ray" (my dad's name), so I was initially drawn to long "A" sounds (as in Cade and Brady . . . both discussed at some point). We also tend to like names that are traditionally surnames (Hudson, Landon, Cullen . . . also discussed). And thirdly, we wanted a name that fit with Maddox in sound (does it sound like it could be a sibling to a Maddox?), style (trendy/edgier names like Jett, Stellan, Cruz, and Luka were discussed), or lettering (all x's: Axel, Phoenix, Dexter or all M's: Micah and Maverick . . .which we also discussed).

We talked about Mason lots of times, but couldn't really settle on it. Mostly because of it's rising popularity (currently #35 in the U.S., whereas Maddox was somewhere around #465). That, and hubby just didn't love it. But I kept coming back to it, since it really fit our criteria well. And hubby, after polling his co-workers, realized Mason was a good choice too.

So there you have it. Our little process of choosing a name for baby #2. This naming business is trickier than you would think!

He Has a Name!

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsey) — Tue, 03 May 2011 13:00:00 +0000

Finally, at 27 weeks, we have decided on a name for Bubba's little brother. Bubba's name is Maddox, and it took us a long time to find something we thought would sound okay as a sibling to a Maddox. This time around was much harder than the first! But without further ado . . . . baby boy #2 will be named . . . .

No, it's not Namya Ors. You didn't think I was actually going to tell you so easily, did you? Where's the fun in that?

If you aren't the game playing type, check back in a few days and I will officially share his name with you.

My New Hobby

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsey) — Sun, 01 May 2011 18:17:00 +0000

I have finally been taking a photography class! It is a hobby I have always enjoyed, but I am finally getting some technical training, and I am in love.
Here is what I have been shooting lately. (Feel free to nicely criticize. I am a work in progress!)
If you want to see the pictures in a better quality, just click on them.

I know these are all black and white. But it was a rainy a day, and the b&w felt more fitting to me. If you have any tips for great black and white photos, I would love to hear em!

Remembering the Sunshine

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsey) — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 18:32:00 +0000

A couple weeks ago it was absolutely GORGEOUS here in Chicago. Eighty degrees and sunny. Of course we had to take advantage of the beautiful weather. We visited a nearby park in our new neighborhood called Indian Boundary Park. They have a huge wooden playground, a small display of animals, and lots and lots of room to run around.

Walking through the tunnels on the wooden playground.

Going down the slide with help from Daddy.

Too cute not to share.

Big Little Man

Hanging from the rings by his own strength! (With help from Daddy too)

The weather this week is cold and yucky. I can't wait for it to be sunny every day. We are definitely going to take advantage of nice weather this summer and get outdoors as much as we can before August rolls around. Who knows if we will ever get out of the house again once I have twice as many children to wrangle. But I think I am up for the challenge!

His Obsession

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsey) — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 05:00:00 +0000

Bubba's favorite "toy" the past month has been mommy's cell phone. He loves to "talk", dial, and randomly text message the most awkward person possible in my contact list.

I figure so many things are off limits these days (No honey, you may not unplug the vacuum cleaner/play in the fridge/eat the dog food/climb on the table) that a little innocent tinkering with my phone is okay. I usually take it away when he starts chucking it across the room and try to explain that he must be gentle with it. Although that lesson has yet to sink in.

Do your kiddos love modern day technology as much as mine?

The Ergo Saved My Life (And YOU could WIN one!) CLOSED

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsey) — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 04:32:00 +0000

And the winner is . . . .

Tara! Congrats! Check your email and respond within 48 hours to claim your prize!

The Ergobaby baby carrier has saved my life. Maybe that's a little over-dramatic. But it has saved my sanity. Can you imagine holding a crazy toddler on a crowded bus? Or trying to carry him a mile to the park/grocery store/post office? My arms and head ache just thinking about it.

Life in the city ~~can be~~ is hectic. There isn't much room for a stroller on public transportation, and a crowd of (hundreds of) thousands gathered for a parade or fireworks doesn't leave much room on the sidewalks for one either. Don't even think about pushing a stroller through a grocery store, where would you put the groceries? Unless you are one of those brave women who can simultaneously push a stroller and pull a cart, I have an easier solution for city-living mamas (and daddies!) with young kiddos. It's called the Ergobaby.

We purchased our Ergo when my son was around 11 weeks old, and we haven't stopped using it since. It is my number one most recommended product for new parents.

Visiting the green Chicago River in the Ergo in 2010!

I would be surprised if you are a parent of young children and you haven't at least heard of the Ergo. But you may wonder, what makes it superior to other soft-structured carriers on the market? I'm so glad you asked! First and foremost is the ergonomic design of the carrier. Children are supported from knee to knee in a natural, sitting position that is both comfortable and correct. But an even bigger bonus: It's also comfortable for the adult as well. The wide waist belt sits just above your hips, which bare the brunt of the weight. I can wear my son for hours before I start to get tired. Although, being 21 weeks pregnant, I am starting to tire more quickly!

The Ergo can be worn on the front, back or hip, while still maintaining the same excellent support. It can be used from newborn (with the infant insert) to children weighing up to 40 pounds. My son is 23 pounds and carrying him in the Ergo is just as comfortable as it was when he was 12 pounds. My growing belly is proving to be a bit of a challenge, but so far I am still comfortable using the Ergo. Ask me again in 10 weeks though, and you may get a different answer. :)

It's totally adjustable, once you get the right fit you should be able to do a lot of "wearing" without getting sore. And the best part? Hubby loves it too!

Exactly one year later, and still loving it!

Our Ergo still looks brand new. It isn't showing any signs of wear, even after a year of pretty heavy use. I love this thing. I don't have one bad thing to say about it. They are on the pricier side, but with all the use you can get out of it, the cost is really very minimal. I can't wait to use it with our newest little sweet pea this summer!

And now for the good news!

You can win an Ergobaby of your very own! In fact, the wonderfully generous people at Ergobaby are so wonderfully generous, they will even let you choose the one that you love the most! They just came out with some sweet new designs too.

Check these babies out!

To enter you MUST be a follower of Baby in the Big City! Giveaways are like little treats for my lovely readers, so you have to be among them!

MANDATORY ENTRY:

Visit Ergobaby's website and tell me which carrier you will choose if you are the lucky one!

BONUS ENTRIES:

*Like Ergobaby on Facebook and tell them I sent you! (1 extra entry)

*Grab my Baby in the Big City button! (3 extra entries)

Fine Print
*Open to U.S. residents only.

*Leave your email address in your comments so that I may contact you if you are selected.

*Contest will end Saturday, April 9th.

*I will select a winner using random.org.

*I will email the winner, and announce the winner on this post.

*The selected winner will have 48 hours to respond, or I will select a new winner.

I was not compensated in any way for this review, nor was I given a free product. I just really really love the Ergo! My opinions are my own, and may differ from yours and your experience with this product.

20 Weeks!

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsey) — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 18:54:00 +0000

I am actually 20 weeks and 3 days, but who's counting? (Me. I am.)

How far along: 20 weeks
Total Weight Gain: I have gained 5 pounds.
Stretchmarks: No new ones!
Sleep: Pretty good.
Best Moment This Week: We found out we are having another boy!
Movement: Great! I usually feel him rolling around 2 - 3 times a day, you can finally feel the little nudges from outside my tummy. He is a strong little boy!
Gender: Boy! I knew it all along. Mother's intuition I guess. Still working on a name for the little guy.
Labor Signs: Nada
Belly Button: Still in, but getting flatter.
What I Miss: Nothing really, I am enjoying every minute now that I am comfortably in the second trimester.
What I am Looking Forward to: Deciding on a name!

We had our 20 week checkup last week. Everything is looking good! The baby is measuring just a little bit above average, guessing that means he's going to be a big little guy! His heart rate was in the high 140's, low 150's.
There was a small concern about the location of the placenta. During the ultrasound the tech noticed that the placenta is close to the cervix. It was 1.8 cm away. In order to continue with a routine vaginal delivery, the placenta has to be at least 2.5 cm away. The technician said that she is sure that it will move away, but it does worry me a little bit.
Overall, everything is as it should be. Baby looks healthy, I am healthy and feeling very well. (I really don't even feel pregnant most days!) Now we just need to decide on a name and we will be all set.

It's A . . . .

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsey) — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 17:00:00 +0000

We are having a . . . .

healthy

sweet

adorable

Little

BOY!

We are so excited to be having a second little boy. I have always wanted a whole houseful of boys, and I know that Bubba will be a wonderful big brother to a little brother. I feel so blessed!

Should your front facing toddler be turned around?

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsey) — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 19:16:00 +0000

When moving my son from his infant seat to his "big boy" carseat, I discovered that the safest position for him was rear-facing. Not only to age 1 as most people believe, but until age 2 at the earliest. He is now 15 months old, and has always been rear-facing.
I have gotten questions and comments "About time to turn him around!", but have always been eager to share the information I read. Which is that the most common type of vehicle collision, and most dangerous, occurs at the front of the vehicle. In which case, a child who is forward facing would suffer more severe injuries than a child who is rear-facing. I could go on, but there isn't a need. The AAP has finally changed their carseat regulations. You can find the report HERE.

From the report: "A 2007 study in the journal Injury Prevention found that children under age two are 75 percent less likely to die or to be severely injured in a crash if they are rear-facing. Another study found riding rear-facing to be five times safer than forward-facing."

75% less likely to be injured or killed!! That statistic is staggering. If you have a child under the age of two, please keep them rear-facing as long as their seat will allow.

His Favorite Time of Day

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsey) — Thu, 17 Mar 2011 05:41:00 +0000

Bubba loves his bath-time. It has been a part if his nightly routine since he was a few weeks old, and he has always enjoyed it. We recently got bubble bath for him, and broke out the bath-time alphabet that he received for Christmas (thanks Aunt Mandy and Uncle Lucas!), so bath-time has been extra special lately.

Don't you just want to squeeze this little boy?

We have begun brushing his teeth, sans toothpaste, each night during bath-time since he has a whole mouthful of teeth to brush. The toothbrush has become one of his favorite bath toys.

These next pictures are enlarged for your enjoyment. I know you're gonna love 'em.

Cracks me up every time.

CSN Stores

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsey) — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 16:36:00 +0000

I am sure you have heard of CSN Stores by now, if not you need to head over and check them out! If you are a blogger, they have a great review program. They are willing to work with blogs of most sizes, and do frequent product reviews. Which is great for me, cause I usually pick something for my son.

Even if you aren't a blogger, you should definitely seek them out for your next purchase. Whether its for kitchen ware, lamps, or bedding. They even have these awesome chairs and computer desks for home or the office.

Pregnancy Survey

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsey) — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 18:45:00 +0000

How far along: 16 weeks
Total Weight Gain: About 10 pounds lost. But gaining it back finally!
Stretchmarks: None yet! (except of course the barely visible few from my first little one)
Sleep: Good!
Best Moment This Week: Feeling more movement.
Movement: Getting stronger! I started feeling movement around 13 weeks this time. It started as flutters, but has finally turned into little kicks and nudges. Still unable to feel them from the outside though.
Gender: Unknown. But we will find out in 3 short weeks! Matt and I both believe 99% that it is a boy. But we would be happy with either!
Labor Signs: Too early for that!
Belly Button: Still in.
What I Miss: Being able to eat any thing I want.
What I am Looking Forward to: Actually looking pregnant, and Matt being able to feel the baby move. Hopefully within the next couple weeks!
Milestones: Baby should be around 5 ounces and 5 inches, and the ears and eyes are fully functioning!

picture taken from http://www.i-am-pregnant.com/Pregnancy/calendar/week/16

Generally, I feel pretty good. It is still hard to eat any strongly flavored foods, but that is to be expected. For now, I sleep well, have energy, can eat pretty well, and don't really feel pregnant. I am looking forward to the next few weeks as my belly grows, the baby becomes more active, and we find out the gender!

See you next year!

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsey) — Fri, 31 Dec 2010 14:00:00 +0000

What a lame joke, I know. I hear it every year. But I just wanted to say Happy New Years! I hope 2011 year is filled with health and happiness, and everything else you want.

OUR BIG NEWS!

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsey) — Tue, 28 Dec 2010 14:00:00 +0000

I am very happy to share with you, that we are expecting another addition to our household!
Yes, I am pregnant. Only 8 weeks, but I already can't wait to meet this new little person.
Baby #2 should be making his/her entrance is early August. Ugh, that seems so far away!

Just Dance.

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsey) — Mon, 27 Dec 2010 14:00:00 +0000

Current state of mind.

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsey) — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 14:00:00 +0000

Not too much is going on in these parts, just getting ready for our big trip to Iowa for the holidays. We will be gone a week and a half, but I have a few posts up my sleeve while I am gone. Not that you would miss me or anything.
Chicago is just beautiful this time of year. The holiday lights are gorgeous, the storefronts are festively decorated, and people are full of the holiday spirit.
Yesterday I took a 3 hour photography "safari". The guide teaches a little lesson, gives pointers, and takes us out around the city for photo ops and practice. It was fun, but FUH-REE-ZING. My fingers and toes were numb. I guess that's why these winter-time lessons are cheaper. But, it was still a good learning experience.
We decided that we will be moving to a bigger place this spring. Which I am thrilled about. Our current place has "character", which means it's old. And not quite enough space for us. I can't wait. If i could move right now, in the dead of winter, I would. But, I don't think our landlord would be pleased if we skipped out on our lease 5 months early.
I have some exciting news to share next week, so make sure you check back!

Happy 1 Year Baby Boy!

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsey) — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 14:00:00 +0000

My precious little man is one year old today.

In the past year he has grown from a tiny little newborn . . .

To a cute, cuddly, rambunctious little boy.

Happy birth day little man. My world was forever changed the day you became a part of it.

Breastfeeding Article

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsey) — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 14:00:00 +0000

Check out this awesome article about recent findings from a breastfeeding study.

CSN Stores

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsey) — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 18:00:00 +0000

I know I have talked about CSN stores before, but its only because they have everything you could ever need for your self, kids, and home. They are a one-stop shop!
You can find, lamps, toys, rugs, furniture, exercise equipment, flat screen TV stands, you name it.
I will be doing another review in a few weeks, so keep your eyes open!

Holiday Card Debacle.

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsey) — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 14:00:00 +0000

Trying to get an 11 month old boy to sit still, while smiling, while looking at the camera, while wearing a Santa hat for an oh-so-adorable holiday card picture is, apparently, too much to ask.

Exhibit A.

And B.

Exhibit C.

And D.

Need I go on?

I was able to capture a somewhat acceptable moment. But he is neither smiling, nor wearing a shirt.
Without further ado, I give you our holiday card picture.

For the card, I zoomed in a bit and cropped the toys out of the background. I have to say, apart from not smiling, I think it turned out pretty cute. At what age does it get easier to get a good picture? 3? 4? 16? I guess kids will be kids. Often times, real moments are better than poses anyways.

Bubba's New(ish) Trick

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsey) — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 14:00:00 +0000

A couple weeks ago Bubba figured out a new way to get around. He's pretty good by now, and will be walking before I know it. Which is exciting, but also a little sad. Before I know it, my little baby will be a little boy.