Tips and Tricks
It's easy to let life get the best of you. The dishes need to be washed, the laundry's gotta be folded , your baby is screaming, and all you want to do is sit down and have a cup of coffee (before it's stone cold). Sometimes you just wish you knew an easier way to get things done, or had a shortcut. Well, here I come to save the day...
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Easy way to Build a Library for your BabyReading to your child on a daily basis has an innumerable amount of benefits. It teaches language, communication, builds listening skills, and can instill concepts such as colors, numbers, letters, and shapes!
This is Lucas' library before he was even born! We achieved this by including a little note with our shower invitations that asked people to bring a book in lieu of a card. Each person included a message to Lucas in the books, so now when I read to him, I can tell him the story, and remind him of the people who gave the gift of learning. Plus, when our friends and family are no longer with us, Lucas will always have something to remember them by. |
As your child's library grows, and he or she receives books as gifts, you also have a tendency to end up with multiple copies of the same book. An easy way to avoid this (although it takes a little work!) is to create a Google Doc Spreadsheet with all of your baby's books in it. You can include the title, author, and type of book (paperback, hardcover, board book, etc), and share a link to the document with your friends and family. Then, each time your child receives a book, just add it to the list, which auto-updates to anyone who can view it. Check out my running Google Doc of Lucas' Library and book list. You can also purchase some handy software called Collectorz, which allows you to catalog your books and view the list on a mobile device. I own this program, and I love it!
To keep your child's library growing, try using Amazon Wish List to create a catalogue of books you'd like him or her to receive. It's a great way to make sure that you don't receive multiple copies, and allow friends and family to purchase books that you know your little one will enjoy. Just click on the link, and create a list called "(insert your child's name here)'s Library" and share the link with the world!
To keep your child's library growing, try using Amazon Wish List to create a catalogue of books you'd like him or her to receive. It's a great way to make sure that you don't receive multiple copies, and allow friends and family to purchase books that you know your little one will enjoy. Just click on the link, and create a list called "(insert your child's name here)'s Library" and share the link with the world!
Don't Lose your Instruction Manuals!You name it! Every single item of baby gear, toys, and furniture comes with insainely detailed instructions or assembly guidelines. You struggle to put it together the first time, and then toss away the manual. Big mistake, my friends, big mistake.
Say it's time to move, or put this GIGANTIC piece of furniture into storage, and you've thrown away the instructions. Now you have absolutely no clue how to take it apart, let alone where the tiny little custom wrench is that you absolutely must have to disassemble the blasted chair! Very frustrating. |
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Or scenario number two: you're done having kids and want to pass your stuff down to a friend or family member. You remember how it works, but your best friend doesn't. So now she's calling you at 4am to ask how to turn on the bottle warmer. Not cool.
Well, my friends, I have a solution for you. Save all of your instruction manuals (yes, even for the stuff that you think even an idiot should know how to operate), receipts, custom tools, extra parts, and the like in one easy-to-find place. I used a plain-old 3-ring binder with page saver inserts. Each pocket holds an instruction book, and easily fits odds-and-ends. I keep it on a book shelf with all of my other parenting stuff, and reference it as often as needed. Then when you give your stuff away, just flip through the book and put the necessary manuals into a new binder as a compliment to the hand-me-down haul that you're about to turn over. Ah, the relief. |
Optimize your changing table!
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Some people call me crazy, others think it's a stroke of genius, but Clinton and I spent a long time picking out Lucas' furniture. This is (a portion of) Lucas' changing table, which is actually two shelving units from Ikea with matching storage bins (available at the bottom of the shelving page) stacked on top of each other, and fastened together. The shelves are designed, once un-stacked, to go side-by side and create a play table for toys such a car mat or train set. We didn't want to purchase a changing table that was useless after two years, so this is what we came up with. I just strapped a changing pad to the top, and voila! Easy breezy.
The next most important thing is to make sure that everything you could possibly need during a diaper change is within arm's reach. You NEVER want to leave your baby unattended (no matter how young they are!) on a changing table or other elevated surface, so having everything available to you is an absolute must. I used foam sheets to label all of the drawers' contents, and taped them to the front. I would suggest using Velcro instead, because I found myself constantly rearranging the stuff in the drawers to make diaper time more convenient.
We have a dry erase board on the wall above the changing table to communicate notes (Hey Clint! Use Butt Paste!), keep track of diaper changes, or to leave instructions for family members who are watching Lucas. We also have this awesome Monkey toy (which is nearly impossible to track down!) that was given to us by a friend. It was especially helpful when Lucas was a couple months old, and distracted him during changes. Now he chews on the teether, and tries to figure out how to make it light up and sing.
The next most important thing is to make sure that everything you could possibly need during a diaper change is within arm's reach. You NEVER want to leave your baby unattended (no matter how young they are!) on a changing table or other elevated surface, so having everything available to you is an absolute must. I used foam sheets to label all of the drawers' contents, and taped them to the front. I would suggest using Velcro instead, because I found myself constantly rearranging the stuff in the drawers to make diaper time more convenient.
We have a dry erase board on the wall above the changing table to communicate notes (Hey Clint! Use Butt Paste!), keep track of diaper changes, or to leave instructions for family members who are watching Lucas. We also have this awesome Monkey toy (which is nearly impossible to track down!) that was given to us by a friend. It was especially helpful when Lucas was a couple months old, and distracted him during changes. Now he chews on the teether, and tries to figure out how to make it light up and sing.
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A Few Extra Minutes of SleepA super easy way to get a few extra minutes of sleep is to toss a few (quiet) toys into a bucket or basket and stick them in the corner or your baby's bed. Once your child is old enough to maneuver him or herself around their crib, they will wake up and be excited to play with the toys you've placed in their bed while they were sleeping. It's exciting for your baby to dig through (and play with!) the bucket to discover what's inside!
Be sure that you're choosing items that are okay for your child to play with unsupervised (anything that will fit through a toilet paper roll is NOT a good idea!). Keep in mind that it doesn't always have to be a "toy" that keeps them busy. You can include books, cups, balls, washcloths, and other things that amuse your little one. From time-to-time, make sure you change the items you include to hold your baby's interest. |
Tunes to SleepLucas has always been a great sleeper, and will snooze through practically anything... so long as it's not completely quiet. Clinton and I discovered that if it was noiseless in Lucas' room, he would wake up if a loud sound was made anywhere in our house.
Our solution was simple, we started playing music for Lucas when he would go to bed. It was a great mask to the sounds of daily life around our apartment, and added a nice, relaxing dimension to his bedtime routine. Every night, we play Norah Jones' Come Away with Me album, and Lucas loves it. |
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So I purchased a set of iHome Speakers, which are battery operated (so there's no cord for Lucas to tug, sending a stereo plummeting towards his head!). Please note that it is NOT an iPod charging station, just a little set of speakers with a power switch. It's a perfect size for Lucas' nursery, and works great for travel. Paried with a set of rechargable AA batteries, it's one of the best (and cheapest!) things we've purchased for him.
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Save Your Hands, wear Rubber Gloves!When your baby is teeny tiny, you have to wash and sanitize everything in scalding hot water, which to no surprise can cause burns and extremely dry skin. So save yourself some trouble an invest in a pair of rubber cleaning gloves to wear while you're washing the dishes. They're not expensive, and you can get them at practically any store (usually in the household cleaning supplies aisle) in a variety of colors. They'll save you a ton of moisturizing (which, by the way, it's very difficult to repair your hands when you're washing dishes up to 8 times a day!), and frustration.
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Looking for a couple buck addition to a shower gift? Skip the baby lotion or cutesy headbands and throw in a pair for the expectant mom and dad! They'll think it's cheesy when they open their gift and find a pair of rubber cleaning gloves, but trust me, they'll thank you later when they still have feeling in their fingers.
