The Perfect Stroller- Kolcraft Contours Options LT

When my first child was born I got a jogging stroller and used it for jogging and nothing else. I didn't even own an umbrella stroller. Instead I just wore my baby everywhere. I would see parents at library story time or at the farmers market pushing heavy cumbersome looking strollers and I admit it I scoffed. My baby wearing seemed so much more effective..so much more efficient. My daughter had been walking 2 months when I started seeing the potential appeal of a stroller. I remember the exact day...I took her into a bathroom stall with me, sat down to do my business and stared mouth agape as she slide happily under the stall divider and ran merrily toward the door. We got an umbrella stroller the next day.

Still I didn't really 'get into' strollers. When my second child was born I simply wore them both- my oldest in the Ergo and my little one in a sling. And when the little one was a bit older I switched to wearing her in an Ergo on my front and my oldest in a backpack. Still this utopia in which I did not have to fold and unfold a huge stroller was too good to last.

My youngest started walking and became a vicious hair puller and my oldest, always a 'spirited child', became very excited by running off and hiding from me at every opportunity. Needless to say, I started looking for a stroller and almost immediately, I fell in love with the Baby Jogger City Select Double. The price tag $400, not too bad I though..."oh, no"...the salesman explained with a big grin...you have to buy everything separately-the second seat $100, the car seat adapted $100, the glider board $100, the rain cover $100.....You get the picture. And while I maybe able to rationalize the purchase of a $400 stroller there was no way that I was buying a $1000 stroller. Enter the Kolcraft Contour Options LT- basically the exact same stroller as the City Select at a much lower price point- $270.

Review of the Kolcraft Contours Options LT

1. Does the stroller come with a second seat?
Yes! and what is even cooler is that it folds wit the second seat attached. On the City Select you have to pop  off the second seat to fold it.

2. Is it easy to fold?
Yes, all you have to do is pull up on the release while stepping on the emergency brake and it folds right up. In addition it can stand when folded which is great if you have to move some stuff around in your car before you can throw it in.

3. How much does it weight?
33 lbs with both seats on which is really good for a double (my kid weighs more) but it would be awkward to carry too far.

4. Can it fit in my car?
We have a van and a Honda fit and we have had no problems but I haven't tested it in any other cars. It is not too wide but it does have some height so I am not sure if it would fit in the trunk of a sedan. You can check the dimensions on the Kolcraft website and measure your trunk.

5. Can I attach an infant car seat?
Yes, one comes with the stroller but you can attach two you just have to buy the second car seat adapter.



6. Is it made well?
It seems to be really well made. The recline feature is different than the City Select in that it has levels while the City Select has the pull cord that lets you customize the recline. The sunshades are also a little smaller than the City Select- still tall but not as wide.

7. How is it to maneuver?
It is incredible. I can't tell the difference between this and the City Select at all.

Here are some pictures of mine with the seats in different positions. I love that it has a narrow profile and isn't too long. And I love love love that it is modular.

On a trip to the store yesterday, my kids initially wanted to face each other which was cute until my big one started kicking my little one. I then turned the little one's seat forward (with her in it) which seemed to solve the problem momentarily....then scream scream...the big one was kicking the back of the little one's seat. I then turned the big one's seat to face me... permanently resolving the kicking crisis.

Anyway if you are thinking about getting this stroller and have any questions I'd be happy to tell you about my experience. No one paid me or gave me anything to gush about this stroller. I truly am just really happy with my purchase. Here are some picture of the stroller with the seats in different positions.  

It reminds me of a Transformer- I call mine Bumble Bee. 

Best Gear for Plane Travel with Babies and Toddlers

Our extended family lives across the country from us so we do a lot of plane travel with our two little ones (1 and 2 1/2). Travel is unpredictable. Toddlers are unpredictable. Put them together and you have a very combustible combination. Between the load of gear, the screaming, the running away in the security line and the on-plane crying jags even the most even tempered parent can feel a bit like a homicidal axe murderer by the end of a flight. In this post, I am going to recommend some of the gear that has really made plane travel with our baby and toddler much less stressful. *I'll do a follow up post specifically on things that have helped us survive in-flight.

Awesome Gear:

1. Brica travel booster- $25 Amazon
This great booster works well for any kid that can sit up independently but is too short to eat at the standard table. The best thing about this booster is that it folds completely flat which means you can stick it in your luggage (even your carry-on luggage) with no problem. My husband and I credit this little beauty with making it possible for us to get sustenance on our trips (have you tried to eat while holding a baby?-I don't recommend it!). And we don't use it just on trips- we throw it in the car or diaper bag (yes it is that compact) so we are always ready for situations where we need a booster. 

2. Kelty TC 2.0 Child Carrier- $150
Wearing you kid in through the airport is the only way to go. The Kelty TC not only carries your child but it carries all their stuff. When we fly my husband carries our oldest in this and we take it on the plane as our carry-on. Now I am a baby-wearer who loves my Ergo totally and completely...but...there is not a lot of storage in an Ergo. There is however, a ton of storage in the TC- you can fit loveys, sippy cups and diapers galore. It has an adjustable lumbar panel so it fits me at 5'6" and my husband at 6'5" with no problem. It also it has a couple pockets on the carrying belt where you can put your ID and plane ticket.

We also use this all the time on the Bart- way easier than lugging a stroller or carrying an additional diaper bag. It is a bit pricey but not crazy expensive. Look out for sales we got our on Zulily for $60. Also, their is a sun/rain canopy that you can buy separately that fits on the TC beautifully. It is great for that stage where your baby keeps taking off their hat...

3. KidCo Pea Pod Travel Bed- $89
Ok, this seems like it is constantly sold out on Amazon, why?...because it rocks. Anyone who has dragged around a "portable" pack n' play will throw up their hands in a hallelujah when they get their paws on this. It weights less than five pounds and fits..yes...in our carry-on. We have two; a pea pod with a self inflating mattress and a pea pod plus with a mattress that inflates with a small pump which is included. We have used these SO MUCH and what is more our kids love them. We have used them everywhere..on camping trips, at friend's houses etc... No more worrying about where your baby is going to sleep when you get to your destination. We love them!

4. Traveling Toddler Car Seat Accessory- $13 Amazon
This has made getting through the airport a breeze. We just strap our car seat to our carry-ons, put our youngest in the Ergo + the oldest in the Kelty and off we go...zip..zip. When we get to the gate we pop the strap off, throw our gate check bag on or take the car seat on the plane with us. As a bonus you can actually strap your kid into the car seat and they can ride. This would be a great option for families with 3 or 4 kids or when you are traveling alone with two small children.

5. Kidco Go-Pod- $48 Amazon
This is basically an excersaucer that folds small enough to fit in most standard luggage. It has a lot of straps to add toys to and you can change the toys out once your baby gets tired of them. We use it for travel but we also use it for the playground where I often have to stick my baby in it and run off to save my toddler from imminent disaster after imminent disaster.

Cheap and Fast Tutorial I- Rainbow Dance Hoop

Sometimes it is the simplest things that make our kids the happiest. My daughter got to use a rainbow dance hoop at her mommy and me movement class and lovvvved it!
So of course, I quickly put a couple together for Sunday night dance party. I made three for $8 bucks with supplies from the dollar store (ribbon + small wreath) and about 15 minutes of construction time. My kids love them. Yesterday, I even walked in on my husband doing a little interpretive rainbow dance piece.

Cheap, Fast...and most importantly Super Fun!

Score: Mom-1, Toddler-144

Recently my toddler has gone on bath strike. It has been horrible...getting her into a bath has literally been like trying to force an unwilling cat into a carrier. I have been reading a bunch of parenting books trying to figure out what to do and my husband has been taking her swimming to get the stink off...
Then I had an idea. My toddler loves to paint so I filled up a muffin tin with cheap shaving cream ,added some food coloring and handed her a brush. Ta-da! I win for once!!!!

The Blacksmith

I am so excited! My seriously awesome husband got me a Blacksmithing class for Christmas and it starts this Thursday. I have always been fascinated by metal work and I am really looking forward to pounding on some hot iron!
In related news, I actually got an opportunity to go out this weekend alone (blissful) and I wandered into this little thrift shop I have been meaning to checkout and found this.....


Isn't he awesome.. He's called The Welder. I had to have him and the price was right so of course he came home with me.

I love art especially unusual portraits. I've never seen anything like him. I think I am going to hang a copy of Longfellow's The Village Blacksmith beside him. That poem is so beautiful..

Under a spreading chestnut tree
The village smithy stands;
The smith a mighty man is he,
With large and sinewy hands...

City Home Tutorial I- The Doorway Playhouse

I really like offering my kid's the opportunity for as much imaginative play as possible but like many city homes our is small and space is at a premium. In our house we don't really have much floor room for a play house or tent but we do have doorways! Enter the awesome doorway playhouse. Now I think Hearthsong offers something like this for $60 bucks and I know that the Land of Nod has a puppet theater they offer for $40 bucks but you can do it yourself for much less-trust me it is easy. All you need is beginning sewing skills or some good fabric glue.

Depending on the complexity of your design making one of these can take anywhere from a couple hours to a couple nights-definitely doable as a week before Christmas present. The best part is it is completely customizable to you child. For example, my oldest daughter is really into princesses (cringe, I know) so I was able to whip up this awesome doorway castle for her in an evening. She was super thrilled and has been playing in "her castle" ever since. Let me tell you with these doorway playhouses you will get serious play for the buck.

Doorway castle with castle gate that can be pulled down  so your little king or queen can cross their imaginary moat.

Townhouse Tutorial

My inspiration, a great 19th century townhome I use to live in. 

Let's talk supplies. 

1. You will need 1 or 2 pieces of fabric measuring about 25 x 59. 

Sources: Joann Fabric sells their outdoor fabric in the bargain bin in the late winter/early spring (I got 8 yards of the fabric I am using for this project for $8 bucks). Outdoor fabric is great because it is a good weight, doesn't attract pet hair and is really easy to spot clean. That said, I have also used inexpensive felt and cheap sheets/blankets/tablecloths that I have picked up at the thrift store. Tip: Walmart Mainstay twin sheets work well for this ($5 bucks each)--you'll need two.

2. You will a 31 x 13 piece of fabric or longer for the door (this is based on the height of your child but I recommend making the doorway at least 30 inches so they can use it longer). 

3. You will need some scrap fabric for details. Again thriftstore pillowcases/sheets/blankets or tableclothes are great Or you could pick out some nice coordinating fabric from your local fabric store.

4. You will need some ribbon for door ties(see pic below). Also, in this project I used ribbon to create the window trim- I used 3 rolls (9 yds) which I picked up for a buck each at Walmart Tip: You can also get ribbon for a buck at most Dollar Tree stores.  

5. Thread or fabric glue- either works perfectly well and is washable. Tip: If you use fabric glue I always let the project sit for 48 hours before I hand it over to my kids.  

6. A tension rod (18" to 28"). Walmart, Home Depot or any local hardware store should have these. 

The How To: 

1.  Cut 2 pieces of your main fabric. I cut mine 25 x 59 which fits well in a standard size doorway. 

2. Place the two pieces on top of each other and cut out the doorway- 31 x 13. You can also go ahead and cut the fabric for your door. I wanted mine to be 31 x 13 so I cut a piece 34 x 15 to allow for seams. 

3. Take 1 piece of the 25 x 59 pieces of fabric. You will add your windows and other design elements to this piece. Cut out everything you want to put on the front of the house and lay them all out before you attach anything to see how everything looks. Good-ok! now you can glue or pin and sew everything on. 

4. Now iron flat 1/2" seams on 3 sides of the door (don't worry about the top). Now turn the seams a 1/2" again so the raw edge is enclosed in the seam. Iron. Glue or sew.

4.  Now we are going to put the door on. Cut 4 pieces of ribbon at least 10" long. Place two pieces on the back of the door and 2 pieces on the front ~The ribbon will allow you to roll the doorway up and tie it open.  Make sure the ribbons line up. You should have a sandwich of ribbon, door, ribbon on both top end of the door (I placed mine about 2 1/2" in from the edge of the door). Make sure the ribbons line up and then hand sew the ribbon door sandwich together. Tip: Glueing or sewing, I recommend hand sewing this bit. That way the ribbon won't slip or pull out on you. Place the door and the front of the house right sides together with the door bottom facing towards the top of the house.. Sew the door to the top of the doorway.

5. Place the house pieces right sides together. The door should be totally encased between the two house pieces. Sew or glue the top, bottom and two house sides. In addition, sew or glue down the two vertical doorway sides. Do not sew/glue the top of the doorway. 

6. Flip the house right side out through the top of the doorway. 

7. On the back piece of the house turn the top of the doorway under to enclose the raw edge. Iron. Sew or glue. 

8. At the top of the house on the sides cut small slits (1 1/2") on the hem/glue line. The easiest thing is to use fabric glue or fray ease to finish these raw edges. Let dry.

9. Slide your tension rod through and hang in the nearest doorway. Admire your work! 

Total project cost- $13 bucks

You can also use this basic technique to make a puppet theater.

For the puppet theater I recommend using two tension rods. 

Next time I make one I'll try and take some more process photos but those are the basics!

Organizing dress up clothes

Imaginative play is a vital component to a child's cognitive, social and emotional development. As I watch my daughter dress-up as a teacher or fireman or dinosaur.. I can see her trying to make sense of the greater world and her place in that world. In a safe way, she is exploring her fears, learning to navigate power dynamics and developing an understanding of social and cultural norms. In short, I think that every kid could benefit from some dress up clothes. Still dress-up clothes can and often do take over!
Although I am not classically type A I have a strong aesthetic preference for organization. Of course in a small house the space available for storage and organization is limited. So when my kids dress up clothes threatened to take over their play area I looked around for underutilized areas in my home-Like a rather long and awkward hall way. Perfect!

Here are some of the techniques I used:
1. Coat hooks- kids can see all their costumes and it is easy for them to get things on and off. I got a couple nice ones at IKEA but I also found some pretty good ones at our local Dollar Tree. I couldn't use command hooks because our walls are textured but I hear they work great.

2. Laminated pictures: I hung a laminated picture of the costume over the corresponding hook to make clean up easier. I used stick backed Velcro on the picture and wall. I have found this comes off pretty easily as long as your paint finish is at least egg- shell. If you don't have access to a laminator you can attach the pictures on small pieces of cardboard and mount them that way.



3. Small clear shoe holder: perfect for holding masks and other accessories like necklaces/ handcuffs etc. I got mine ( 12 sections) from Amazon and hung it low on the wall so it was easy to access. I also printed out pictures for each section and mounted them to the inside of each pocket. I like to make it as easy as possible for my kids to clean up.


4. Using a broom organizer to hold hobby horse and cowboy hats. This is great, my kids can just slide their hobby horse through the tension holder and they are " in the stable" for the night. The trick is to mount the holder low enough on the wall that your kids can easily manipulate their horse in and out of the "stable".

Post Postpartum

Today is February 19th 2013 a little more than one year after I gave birth to my second child. Looking back on this past year much of it is a blur. Not because I was moving cross country with two children under the age of 2 or finishing renovations on a 100 year old house or living Nomadically with various relatives while my husband drove our animals to California and got our new digs set up...no last year was a blur because for a vast majority of the year I had pretty severe postpartum depression. Not that I knew I was suffering from postpartum depression (PPD). No, if you'd asked me I would have just told you that I was sleep deprived and stressed. I thought I was just having adjustment difficulties. I thought that my behaviors and thoughts (both textbook indicators of depression and anxiety) were the result of being the parent of an infant, not getting enough sleep and having some stressful things going on in my life.

That is the thing about postpartum depression that most people don't know-I didn't know- it is insidious...

Many of the symptoms of depression are the same symptoms experienced by overwhelmed sleep deprived mother's of infants; mood swings, anxiety, sadness, irritability, crying for no real reason etc.. So when do these symptoms cross the line from normal to pathological? It is a hard call. Even as a mental health professional I had a lot of difficulty determining whether my thoughts and behaviors where outside of "normal parameters". In fact, it took me eight months to realize that I was most likely experiencing PPD and another two months to seek and receive treatment.

That is another thing I didn't realize about postpartum depression- if it isn't treated it can go on for months and it can get worse.

That is what happened to me. My PPD DID NOT GO AWAY BY ITSELF and it got worse, so bad in fact that I could not longer ignore it or rationalize my symptoms.

I have always had pretty good mental health. Still in September of last year, I found myself having thoughts about hurting myself constantly. More disturbingly, I had thoughts about hurting my baby. I knew that these thought were completely irrational and I wasn't going to act on them. Still they were unsettling and very difficult for me to talk about.

I mean how do broach that topic with your spouse? "Hi Honey, can you pick up milk on your way home? Oh by the way, I constantly think about driving into a tree and throwing our child out the window."

I am not going to lie it was really hard for me to talk to my husband about this and it was hard for my husband to hear. Since we just moved I was home with our two little ones full time and the hardest thing for us was determining whether or not I should be taking care of our two children full time or whether we needed to get some outside help until I was stabilized. We decided on a mixed approach. My husband stayed home for two weeks while I started therapy and medication and we enrolled my oldest in a two day a week preschool program. This was incredibly helpful and definitely helped me get things under control. I was lucky that the first medication I tried Wellbutrin worked well for me but that is not everyone's experience and it is important to plan for the possibility that you may have to try several medications before you feel positive effects. Some people feel really strongly about not using medication for PPD and I'll admit I didn't want to use medication. I honestly felt like I should be able to get through PPD without medication. I mean medication was for people with mental health problems not for people like me. Still my PPD had progressed to the point that it was seriously interfering with my ability to function and I was desperate so I got on medication but told myself that I would give it only 6 months and then I would reevaluate.

I started my medication on a Monday and by the next Monday something crazy happened- I stopped having intrusive thoughts about hurting myself or my baby. Now Wellbutrin is a little different than SSRIs because it acts on the re-uptake of norepinephrine and dopamine so it typically acts much faster than medication that acts on the re-uptake of serotonin. Still I was shocked and relieved by how quickly the medication worked and those intrusive thoughts disappeared. Since then I have progressively regained my pre-PPD level of functioning. I still have bad days...don't we all? But I feel like myself again and that feels really good!
                     
                   Here are some tips based on my experience dealing with PPD

1. Trust yourself: If after a couple week post-birth you don't start feeling like yourself again *a sleep deprived slightly overwhelmed version of yourself* you may have PPD.

2. Don't ask other people's opinions: Unless they have experienced PPD the opinion of your mom and sister and best friend may not be to helpful. I talked to several people about how I was feeling postpartum only to have them tell me that "having a baby is hard" and that "how I felt was normal" and that I needed to "tough it out".

3. Find a Psychiatrist or a Doctor with experience treating women's life cycle issues: When you realize there is a problem most women make an appointment with their GP, OBGYN, or talk to their child's Pediatrician. This is not necessarily the best strategy. Many medical doctors are woefully under-trained in the accurate recognition, diagnosis and treatment of PPD and many women who broach the subject with their doctor find themselves taking the depression test from the back of the Paxil box or having their symptoms dismissed as part of normal postpartum. My recommendation is to find a Psychiatrist with experience treating women's life cycle issues. Note: There are antidepressants that are OK to use while breastfeeding. Your GP may not know about them. Go to a Psychiatrist or a Doc with experience treating PPD they can discuss your options with you and help you decide on a course of action. Postpartum Progress (www.postpartumprogress.com) is a great resource for finding a medical professional in your area that can help you navigate the postpartum treatment process.

4. Call in the troops: You are going to need help until you stabilize. If you are staying home with your kids you may need to find temporary childcare for them. For those that have available family or friends call them up and ask for help. For those who don't have that option or would prefer to hire someone sites like Sitter City, Urban Sitter and Care are great places to start. Tip: Military families can access Sitter City for free under a Department of Defense program. For moms who work, PPD is covered by the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) up to 12 weeks. 9to5, a national organization dedicated to the issues of working women has a Job Survival Hotline (800) 522-0925 that is a great resource for determining your eligibility under FMLA. In addition, many Companies offer extended leave for PPD or coverage via long-term disability so check with Human Resources. Even companies that are not required by law to offer FMLA often do. Tip: For stay at home moms or moms on maternity leave, fathers/husbands who qualify for FMLA can access up to 12 weeks of protected leave in order to care for their spouse/partner diagnosed with PPD or infant.  
                                          Do you qualify for FMLA? (the short of it)
                                   1. Have you worked at your employer for a year
                                   2. Does your employer have 50+ employees
                                   3. Have you worked at least 24 hrs a week during the past year
                                   * some states have more generous FMLA laws, call 9 to 5 hotline for more
                                   information on your state's laws.

                                       What you'll need from your Doc to access FMLA
                                    1. A diagnosis of Perinatal Mood or Anxiety Disorder
                                    2. For Spouse: a medical certification stating that you need to care for your spouse
                                        as a result of PPD. Or you can access FMLA for paternity leave.

4. Prepare to feel like a bad parent: Your not a bad parent but your going to feel like one. It is completely normal so dismiss those feelings as much as you can.

5. Prepare to be embarrassed: PPD is hard. If you are experiencing it your probably feeling really confused and vulnerable. And although PPD is common it is not really talked about and isn't well understood by the public. As a result, people are really stupid about PPD and will say ridiculous things to and about you. If your not prepared for it these comments can really upset you. So my advice..get prepared for them because in all likelihood they are coming.
Things you may hear before and after seeking treatment for PPD:
                           You just need to take a bubble bath/class/trip etc.. and you'll feel a 100% better
                           She says she has postpartum depression but she had the baby months ago...
                           Having a newborn is hard work.
                           You just need to get more sleep.
                           Why are you so crazy?
                           You need to get a grip.
                           Medication, isn't that bad for the Baby?
                           Medication, why do you need medication?
                           Medication, I wouldn't take medication but that is just me.
                           Why don't you do a detox?
                           You'd feel better if you exercised more....Etc....
You can expect to hear those comments and many more subtle and not so subtle comments on your "postpartum depression", parenting abilities, general craziness and decision to take medication or not. What can I say people are idiots and there is something about issues surrounding parenting, pregnancy and infants that makes even normally intelligent sensitive people say ludicrous hurtful things. My advice...screw them. Right now you have got to develop tunnel vision. Take care of yourself. Get better. Let everything else fade into the background for awhile. Good luck and remember I am living proof that things can and do get better. There will be an end to your PPD, there is a light at the end of this seemingly endless tunnel.