My Mommyology

Learning from Motherhood.

July 19, 2011
by mymommyology
10 Comments

Packing for an Infant and a Toddler (and Then Some)

Why is it that when we take a vacation with the kids, it feels like I’m packing half the house to take with us?  Do you feel that way too?

My Mommyology Packing

Thank you to my best friend @Missusbig for the uber fitting photo!

We recently went on a three-day beach trip with the girls and some family members, and that’s precisely how I felt.  Here’s a list of some of the answers that I came up with:

1.  Because baby things are bulky.  Diapers alone for a 3-day trip will take up a third of the suitcase.  Not to mention if you a bring changing pad (like me), cotton balls and wipes (like me!)  a ton of burp cloths (like me), and a towel for each child per day out (oh let’s see… yes I do that too!), then it definitely fills up FAST.

That’s just the “changing and cleaning” department.  I also packed a breastpump and some bottles.  I tried to cut back by not bringing a sterilizer or a bottle warmer, because Jamie would be with me the whole time anyway, and so I really just needed to pump and dump.  I could sterilize when I got home.

Of course, with Jamie at 4-months, I wasn’t just about to bathe her anywhere.  So we packed her bathtub.  And her bouncy chair, since again, I wasn’t about to sit her just anywhere.  I also didn’t want to always have to carry her, so the stroller and the sling also came with us.  (Thank goodness the girls sleep with us.  At least we didn’t have to bring the Pack n Play!)

2.   You prepare for the worst.  The thermometer, the infant Tylenol, the saline spray and aspirator, the Lysol on-the-go, the Tide Stain Release on-the-go, medicines for rashes, itchiness, cuts, bruises, band-aids, anti-bacterial cream, vitamins… the list goes on.  Each child has their own grooming kit, set of toiletries and set of medicines.  In addition to what is packed in the suitcase, I also always bring an “instant kit” in the day bag, coupled with miniature toiletries (baby wash, lotion, cotton balls, toothpaste and toothbrush), only because if we have an unforeseen accident, then I don’t have to pull out the entire suitcase to get us all cleaned up.

3.  Like me, you don’t trust the disinfecting abilities of the staff that cleans the place before you arrive.  So I bring our own Lysol Wipes, spray, alcohol, paper towels, plastic bags… the list goes on.  My husband said that to save on clothes, we could use the washer dryer found in the unit that we were renting.  I gave him a pointed look, because a) I didn’t want to be doing laundry on my vacation, and b) Knowing that someone else may have put God-knows-what in there before me, I would have cleaned and disinfected both first before I ended up using it.  Then I would have packed our own laundry tools as well — forget it!

4.  You can’t trust a toddler (or an infant) to keep their outfits clean all day / all night.  For Jamie, it was more of a concern of spit ups and sweat than anything else, and boy did she do a lot of both!  For Sam, well she is a toddler and that in itself says she will get sweaty, sticky, sandy, and over-all messy!  Plus in terms of swimsuits, Sam is like me: if it’s wet or damp the next time we put it on, we don’t want to wear it again.  So I had to bring several swimsuits for her, since I anticipated she would be going back and forth to the beach all day.  Even if Sam didn’t need diapers, sometimes in all her excitement she’d forget she’d need a bathroom, and so I did have to bring more than enough underwear for her.

5.  No matter where we are, we must keep some semblance of familiarity.  The toys, the books, the comfort blankets and pillows — they all make the trip with us.  Rationalizing and selecting which ones to take also takes time, and naturally Sam would want to bring everyone, even the small ones that can potentially get lost and cause me a lot of stress.  There’s a set for the beach, a set for the car and a set for the hotel room too.  Then I bring the Your Baby Can Read videos of Jamie and Sam’s Kumon homework — because we definitely can’t skip a day for these things (Oh no, I sound like Amy Chua!).

Add in the gadgets and gizmos to record every moment of the weekend (Camera, phones, computers, tripods), some of the general beach things (blanket, umbrella, folding chairs, cooler), maybe a couple of canned goods (because what if the kids don’t like the food?  That’s another headache altogether), snacks for the trip  — and maybe, you’re just about ready.  Doesn’t it make your head spin?!

Then again, I always say — it’s better to overpack.  There are more options for them, thereby decreasing incidences of tantrums, whines, and boredom, and somehow giving it a semblance of a vacation for you.  That is me (us – since my husband has to endure my neurotic behavior when it comes to these packing situations) on a summer trip.  Packing for a trip in the wintertime…? oh boy.  I’ve done it with one — let’s see how we fare the next time around with two!

The funny thing was we were about to leave that morning for the beach and my husband started loading the things in the car, only to realize he had not packed his things yet.

I began this post by creating a checklist for future reference, and then realized days later (as I was unpacking everything away from the trip), that I had this somewhere in the back part of our guest room:

My Mommyology checklist

I love the last statement: Getting out of the house in two hours. Ha!

Oh epidural.  What have you done to my brain?!


July 16, 2011
by mymommyology
2 Comments

Revisit to the Pediatric Dentist

I mentioned 6-months ago in the post about Pediatric Dentists that I forgot to take a picture of the room for toddler visits.  Well, it just so happened that we went back for Sam’s check-up and I brought my iPhone!

This is what the room looks like.

My Mommyology Pediatric Dentist Room

Doesn't look like a dentist's office now does it?

You’ll notice the ottoman chairs and the purple soft cushion where they made Sam lie down on to clean her, count her teeth and brush them.  And everything they did to her, they made sure to show her first, and even allowed her to touch it — from their rubber gloves to the little mouth mirror.

As you can see she is happily playing at the side with the toys all within her reach.  I was trying to imagine strapping her down into a chair while waiting for the dentist or the hygienist to input data into the computer.  That might have posed a major challenge.

Sam was again proclaimed cavity free (yay!) and so after her check-up and cleaning she got to hang her name on the cavity-free tree (sorry,  I was NOT able to get a picture of that because at that point Jamie started fussing).  The dentist’s only advise was to start regularly flossing her teeth, even once a day, just to get her used to the habit, and by November when she turns three, to slowly switch her up to flouride toothpaste also once a day.

Jamie as well received her very first toothbrush, and big sister Sam accepted it in her behalf.  She proudly carried it out with the little turtle she got as a prize (The turtle was baptized with the name of Jamie, or so says the owner).

My Mommyology The Toothbrush and the Turtle

This is the tale of the Toothbrush and the Turtle.

July 15, 2011
by mymommyology
3 Comments

Skin Safety Under the Summer Sun

With summer in full swing and the temperatures rising everywhere, I found it apt to look into the area of sunscreen (or sunblock as we like to call it).  Sam is under the sun so much these days (and in spite of the constant application of the sunblock her skin has already gone from tan to toast) I worry about how protected she is from its harmful rays.  Recently there was news about the new FDA regulations on sunscreen claims, which hopefully will help prevent exaggerations on pack claims and false marketing.

I distinctly remember a session with Yvette, the product development manager in my past corporate life, as we were trying to brainstorm on claims for some skin products that would of course be “one-up” over competition (God I haven’t talked like that in ages!).  As she was educating me on the layers of the skin and how deep or shallow any topical application could go, she specifically said that nothing above SPF 50 could be manufactured and mass produced, and “confined” to a bottle.  So I am a wee bit skeptical of the current packs that claim SPF 70+.

My Mommyology Sunscreen inventory

Taking a 2nd look at what we have in the bathroom. Hmmm.

Quoting the MSN NBC article:

“SPF is very misleading,” says dermatologist Dr. James Spencer, of St. Petersburg, Fla. “If I were a logical consumer, I would think that SPF 30 is twice as good as SPF 15. But SPF 15 blocks 94 percent of UVB rays. SPF 30 blocks 97 percent. Past 30, there isn’t much additional benefit to be had,” he says. “It may not be the best measurement, but the FDA has chosen to keep it.”

Nowadays there is a little bit more education on UVA / UVB protection (which they are calling “broad spectrum”) and are saying that only sunscreens which pass this test will be allowed to put it on their packs.  In any case, before buying sunblock, look for the terms Homosalate, Avobenzone, and Titanium Dioxide as these are considered the chemical and physical blockers which will help diffuse the sun’s harmful rays.  From what I’ve read, they have to at least be 7% to have some form of effectivity.

I was temporarily appeased that based on my recent research, what we have in the bathroom for ourselves and the kids is “good enough”.  Needless to say I’ve taken extra pains to apply sunblock on Sam particularly when she goes to camp.  I even send her out with a hat and a pair of shades for whatever added protection that can offer.  What else am I to do after all?

And then I receive this note from my mom regarding ingredients in sunscreen that can actually cause cancer.  To highlight some points, it says that we should be wary of vitamin A in sunscreens as this and derivatives like retinol and retinyl palmitate have been proven to bephotocarcinogenic — meaning they become toxic when exposed to sunlight.  They can cause lesions and tumors on the skin (NOT something I wanted to hear considering I’ve been gooking Sam with sunblock on a daily basis!)

In any case, reading down further in the article, there was a link to a sunscreen guide database, which also rated and scored the hazard protection of the sunscreens on the market today.  Taking a second look at this vis-a-vis the brands we have at home (assuming we can trust this source), I am now beginning to think I will switch brands!

My Mommyology Banana Boat Rating

I used to love Banana Boat, but if I'm to believe this "report", then I don't want to use it anymore!

 

July 12, 2011
by mymommyology
5 Comments

A Quick Note

I apologize for not having a more substantial topic for this particular blog entry.  I will tell you though I have at least 6 or 7 drafts that I have yet to complete and post — when I find the time!  It’s been a hectic two weeks to say the least, with Summer Camp, Pediatrician and Pedia Dentist appointments, coupled with a dozen or so errands and visiting relatives and a recent beach trip (this is one of the drafts, so it’s coming soon!).

In the meantime here are some Jamie milestone updates as of 3 months and 3 weeks of age (Note to self:  refer to blog when updating baby book):

  • She clearly says “Mama“!!!!! 🙂  At first we thought she was just mumbling, but when she cries out, “mamamamamammmm…” and I get her, she automatically stops to signal that she got what she wanted;
  • She can almost completely roll over onto her tummy, and can finally sit up in her bumbo chair;
  • She is showing signs of teething, so I fear the biting in the days to come; and
  • She made her first visit to a Nail Salon today.  We were waiting for our car to get an oil change and a tire rotation, and well… I desperately needed a pedicure.
My Mommyology Pedicure

That's what you call multitasking mommy-time!

So there we were, me taking a moment to relax on a hot day while Jamie sat on my lap, mesmerized by the bubbles at her feet.

July 9, 2011
by mymommyology
5 Comments

The Benefits of Baby Registries

Here’s a little food for thought on Baby Registries.

I decided to express my point of view because my husband and I have differing thoughts about it, and you may be going through the same thing with your husband (or vice-versa).  In our case, he is generally uncomfortable with the idea (just like he was with our wedding registry), because he feels it’s as if we are asking for people to give us things, and all the more with a registry, dictating what they should give.  Particularly the second time around, knowing that we were having another girl so soon and everything we got for Sam was still very much useable, he didn’t see the point in putting one up this time around.  Well, I actually put one up and he didn’t know about it until things started arriving at our door.  haha!

My Mommyology Baby Registry

These are a few of my favorite Baby Registries!

That’s because I on the other hand see the use of Baby Registries as follows:

1)  It is a personal list and reference of things you need (and definitely like);

I know a few friends who have put up multiple registries just so that they wouldn’t have to keep searching for the item(s) over and over again, in the event that they did decide to purchase them (or in the event that someone offered to purchase it for them).

2) When people find out you are having a baby (the first or the second or the third time around), naturally they want to help and give you something.  Wouldn’t it be better if they gave you something you wanted or needed?

Now even with Jamie’s registry, as I mentioned previously it contained a lot less of the things we put in Sam’s.  Most especially because we were having another girl there were a lot of things that we omitted.

The good thing about that registry was that a lot of people gave us Pampers, and so up to this date, I have not yet needed to purchase diapers for Jamie, and she is almost four months old!  That’s big savings right there!

3) Registries can contain gift cards as well, or items which you can get store credit for.

My Mommyology Britax Carseat

Got it brand new at an 80% discount!

I don’t know about the Baby Registries in Manila, but one of the reasons why I love the registries here is because if you return an item to the store, they are more than happy to give you store credit for it.  For instance, Jamie’s registry contained several items for the playroom.  At the time that I put it up we were still in the process of fixing it and I never really bothered to update it once the playroom was done.

Nonetheless we received several of those items a few weeks ago, and so I went into the store to exchange it for store credit.  That, coupled with a few discount coupons and gift cards, allowed us to purchase a brand new Britax carseat for $40!

4) Multiple registries give folks the option of choosing where to get it from.

Okay now here’s one thing my husband doesn’t understand:  Why have more than one registry, where some items repeat themselves (Or you have different items but they serve the same purpose?)?

I would have loved to answer “It’s a girl thing!” but I knew that wouldn’t fly.  No seriously, some stores carry better brands or alternatives to the same item.  Plus, you want to give folks who are buying for you the ability to get you what you need in the most affordable alternative.  For instance, we have coupons at BuyBuyBaby and discounts at Target, so if we know you need something from one of those stores, then it becomes a win-win situation.

5) The registry is for the entire family, not just the newborn.

With another girl on the way, what more could we possibly need? (apart from diapers and diaper pail refills)  Which is why some of the items in my registry were things for Sam.  I rationalized that with all the new things and all the attention coming Jamie’s way, big sister may need something for her as well.  Plus, toys for her meant new distractions, and therefore less pressure on me!  Besides, the registry items categorize things for the baby, for mom and for dad — so why not for the siblings too?

As a compromise my husband and I agreed to only tell people about the existence of the registry if they asked.  Somehow though it’s worked out well for us both times.

So to my friends and relatives who are expecting children in the next couple of months, be it your first or second or third child — Register away I say!

My Mommyology’s Favorite Baby Registries:

  • BuyBuyBaby:  Compared to Babies R Us, their registry welcome kit contains more useful things for you.  Plus they have more items in stock and a wider variety too.  Also, they give you additional discounts for items you would want to buy for yourself, both in-store and online.
  • Target:  Who doesn’t love Target for everything?! 😉
  • Amazon:  If only for the Prime shipping and 0 tax!  But seriously, Amazon has everything.
  • Pottery Barn Kids:  They have beautiful things.  Like the chairs!

If you have other registry suggestions or benefits you’d like to share, please do!

%d bloggers like this:
Skip to toolbar