Carpe This: California Baby (Lavender Bath Items)

Ooohh I love the smell of this product. I got a gift package of California Baby and I really appreciate it. There is a lot of talk and debate about Johnson&Johnsons bath products and I just feel like I'd rather avoid any iffy products. My first thought was "well I used that when I was a kid" but changes are always being made (and not for the better). Am I well read on this? No, but Kaiser did put out a study on bath products, diapering products, etc and based on what I read it seemed that I'd better just stay away from it anyway.

Yes J&J is cheaper but I actually don't use so much that I'm finding the cost of bath supplies to be a breaking point for us. So yes, I was pleased to receive this from my auntie. LOVE the smell of it too. I also received a diaper rash lotion and a general healing lotion and powder in the gift set. I recommend this item (set) to anyone (shhhh but I like using the stuff on myself...).

What does this say about our society?

Before I begin my story you need to know a few things about Dean. He is super skinny. I've tried to feed him as much as possible but he just doesn't gain much. He isn't sickly (yes, I know I just posted about how we all were sick but this is different) and generally has good color and is typically pretty happy and active. Anyway, he is about 75% in terms of his height but only about 5% in terms of weight.

As a side note, buying clothes is annoying since he never really fits anything. All clothes are geared toward short, chubby kids (yeah, babies are supposed to have a bit of chub! It is healthy!!). Sucks for us but he makes due with clothes that fit his height but in other ways he swims in them. I guess this just makes him look that much skinnier.....

Anyway, on the the story. I was at Costco the other day with Dean and Z. A woman came up to me and said Dean was very adorable. I was pleased (what mother doesn't like to hear that her baby is cute?). She also said he was really cute in that his proportions were really good. Of course I thanked her. But what does that say about our society? That we need really long, skinny babies? That those babies should grow up to be tall, skinny adults?

Don't get me wrong here -- I'm not advocating either extreme. I just think that he really ought to have a bit more on him and I'm a bit disturbed that others see him as "ideal." Isn't that what starts anorexia? Sigh.

Sick Sick Sick

So the reason I've been gone for so long is that we've all been sick with some weird flu. So I went to a mommy/baby group meeting two Saturdays ago. Well Sunday night/Monday morning poor Dean was puking every half an hour to an hour starting at about 2 in the morning! Called the 24hr nurse line. Same info that I'd basically assumed but oh well.

Long story short, come to find out that this was passed around via the mommy group and many of us were puking a couple of days after the meeting. After the tummy part we all got a head cold that stuck around for another week or so. Ugh! Can't wait to be free of any illness. This morning I also got another tummy bug! Had to call in to work sick AGAIN! Anyway, I'm hoping to be able to blog again more regularly.

Carpe This: Moby Wrap

I was totally skeptical about my aunt and her freaking long piece of cloth to tie up and bundle baby in....it just did not seem safe. Plus, it didn't even appear to be all that easy to put on as my uncle was wrapping and flinging cloth here and there.

But then mommy after mommy kept getting it in my group. I felt left out. I all of a sudden needed to get my own wrap. And in a really awesome color! So I went to Amazon and found one:
Here it is on Amazon (where picture came from)

So I got it and I love it! I was able to keep Dean so close to me and it breathed! I can change the holds, too. The only problem with the wrap is that it keeps the weight above my center of gravity so my back can hurt a lot if I carry him around for a long time....but so do others so the point is moot!

Busy Busy Busy

I cannot believe how much time has passed! Seven months and change?!? Sheesh! So Dean has now officially gotten his second tooth (both now on the bottom). I have a picture I want to post but I haven't downloaded it to my computer yet. Stay tuned!

Helpful Gadgets and Registry Must-Haves: A Cuddle for Little Duck

This book is awesome! Cutest little book ever. The illustrations are clearly originally painted so it has a very whimsical feel to it. The rhymes engage little readers, too. It is a book I honestly don't mind reading every day (and actually enjoy it!). I bought this for my cousin and two of my mommy-group friends.

Where did I find it? At my little brothers' book fair of all places. Definitely the best book purchase I've made.

The sun is up and so am I
I've woken Mommy too!
I just can't wait to start our day:
We've lots to see and do!
......
I cuddle up on Mommy's back.
I love you, Mom! I say,
Then fall asleep to dream about
Another lovely day.

I finally carpe'd!

I have been meaning to start this blog for quite awhile now.

Carpe Dean. Seize the Dean! After all, he is starting to scoot/crawl now.

The idea for this blog is going to be for various things son related -- complaints, helpful tools, photos, etc. Look forward to it!