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Some baby gear advice for new parents (and why I haven't posted in nearly 4 years):

Best Siblings

A friend of mine just asked me for all the advice I could type. It ended up being pretty long so I thought I'd share with you some of what I've learned from now 4.5 year old Max and 17 month old Tatum. Every child is different so you may find other things that work for you, but hopefully this will help you in some way.

Waffle weave (long underwear material) blankets from Target are the best for swaddling (burrito baby) b/c they stretch and stay tucked in.

The infant gowns at Target are awesome for sleeping and for quick diaper changes at night. They have elastic at the bottom so the baby's legs and feet are pretty likely to stay tucked in. But then we put socks on their feet and had them swaddled too, so they were very cozy.

Once your baby is in legged PJs go for ones with zippers b/c all those snaps take too long with tired or fussy babies, and when you're tired in the middle of the night.

The Halo Sleep Sacks are wonderful once they baby doesn't want swaddling b/c they're safe and can't get wrapped around a moving baby like a blanket can.

Baby wash clothes -- buy tons, you'll need them for all sorts of things like washing and wiping up stuff, or as mini burp clothes, or as protection for you when you're changing a baby boy's diaper. You don't need a "Pee-pee Teepee" just use a cloth. ;) Again, Target has great ones.

I highly recommend the use of a pacifier (on a detachable leash with hangs off their clothing). They calm most kids down instantly and I don't personally know any kids that had a hard time kicking the habit.

The Boppy Pillows for nursing are amazing. I like the super soft Luxe slipcover. It's worth the money. Tatum still lays down in hers, while she's drinking a bottle.

Tatum was a smaller baby than Max, so I used a My Breast Friend pillow the first 2 months b/c it was flatter on top and I felt she wouldn't accidentally roll off. I usually had my laptop on a pillow on my thighs in front of the nursing pillow, and so I didn't want her to roll into it and bump her head or anything. You spend a lot of time nursing. I got a lot of work done during this time. ;)

That same chamois fabric is used to make crib sheets for Pottery Barn Kids. I highly recommend them too.

The best infant stroller ever is a Universal Stroller where you put the infant car seat right in it. This is great b/c you don't have to wake baby to move them to and from the car. We practically cried when Max and Tatum grew out of their infant car seats. With any stroller, a HUGE basket is a must. All those groovy expensive European strollers piss me off b/c their baskets are too small (I noticed they are getting a little bigger now though) and there's rarely a child or parent tray. I've bought about 8 strollers (due to not knowing what I want) and I discovered I really wanted those trays for their snacks and toys and for our drinks and phone and keys, etc.

A jog stroller should have a rotating front wheel for better turning.

We used our Pack N Play tons with both kids for traveling and "baby jailing" and also for changing diapers downstairs (with the larger changing table upstairs). Oh, a mobile or something over the changing table helps to keep them occupied during changes.

The Exersaucer is an awesome piece of equipment. You can start using it as soon as baby can support their torso. And some kids even like to get in it even after they learn to walk. It's a great way for the child to have fun while you get some stuff done knowing they're happy and in no danger. We even brought ours outside last year while we were carving pumpkins.

Other similar items you can try are jumpers that hang from a door frame and indoor baby swings. Vibrating baby bouncers can be soothing for little naps and also a safe place to place baby while you're showering or whatever.

Speaking of mobiles, we had one for Max with music that we played even before he was born. He still loves the music which detaches easily from the mobile part. We took it on vacation everywhere we went and still use it at night as a signal it's time for sleep. It's always worked like a charm. A bedtime routine is super helpful to get them to be good sleepers. Don't make it too long though b/c you will be expected to do the same thing every night for the same amount of time as the night before. ;)

Glider -- we didn't have one for Max and got one for Tatum. We're already done with it, so if you decide you want one, I'd suggest buying a used one b/c they are expensive and unless you move it to your living room, you likely won't use it long enough to merit paying $300-$600.

I loved having a bed in the room with the crib so I could lay on it and nurse and if I fell asleep it was fine. They were still in their room and getting used to their space. Then when the child becomes tired of the crib, you can take off the frame and box springs and put the mattress is on the floor so they won't get hurt falling out of it. Max's double is still on the floor and it's great knowing he's safe from falling out. We'll probably get him a big boy bed soon, but we're in no hurry.

Make sure your highchair doesn't have any annoying nooks and crannies that will be hell to clean. I hated ours for this reason. Luckily Tatum just wanted to use Max's Stokke Tripp Trapp really early on, so we moved to it a long time ago. They each have one and it grows with them through their teens if you want. Stokke also makes cushions for them and infant adjustments so I think you can skip the big honkin' highchair altogether.

For travel or going to restaurants that don't have high chairs or run short, Phil and Ted's Me Too is perfect. It's compact and safely attaches to most tables.

We loved our Baby Bjorn carrier. The ones with the back support are worth the extra money. I got so I couldn't use the one without the back support; it was too painful for my lower back.

As to books, I liked the "Girlfriends' Guides" best of all. And we had a "Baby Owner's Manual" which is fun, clever, and appealing to mom AND dad.

Bottles and Sippies: "Born Free" from Whole Foods. They don't contain the bad plastic. We tried glass but they're so heavy and I was afraid they'd break. Babies throw and drop bottles. We just bought the small nipples and then when the child is bigger and obviously wanting more milk faster, we poked a round toothpick through the hole and it widened nicely.

Bibs: plastic or coated soft ones with velcro at the neck and the pocket in front. Those pockets catch an unbelievable amount of food and the bibs wipe or wash clean easily.

Baby toothbrushes: love the soft one you put on your finger. Baby can gnaw on it for teething purposes and you get their teeth clean in the process.

Baby bathtub. Love it, still use it. I fill it and put her in it, inside the big tub, while I take a shower in the same big tub. She plays and splashes around and we talk while we both get clean really safely. It was really great before she could walk. After the shower, I'd dump the little tub, dry her and set her back down in it while I dried off.

Sunscreen: use the stick so you can better control it and keep it out of their eyes. Lotion stings and causes much crying and even swelling. This little mishap can delay your leaving the house by a good half hour.

For girls, dresses just aren't practical when they're crawling and when they're trying to learn to stand up. This time was quick for us though b/c Tatum didn't crawl that long before she was walking.

Tatum likes having her dresses hanging within reach in her closet. She's only 16 months old but likes to pick out her outfit for the day.

Oh, make sure all socks have that non-slip writing (or characters) on the bottom. Socks are slippery and kids wear them a lot. May as well make them safe. Most Baby Gap and Old Navy have the non-slip writing. These rock and still fit my nearly 1.5 year old.

Robeez shoes are terrific for learning to walk because their soles are really soft and allow the child to "feel" the floor.

Cubbies and baskets on low shelves for toys are awesome b/c that way you don't have to look at the toys sprawled everywhere, but they are within reach for the kids, and can easily be put away by them just like in the little song: "Clean up, clean up, everybody clean up. Clean up, clean up, clean up time." ;)

I hope this helps. If I think of anything else, I'll let you know.

Good luck and enjoy every minute (even the trying ones),
Kerah
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Guess who I met today!

I'm in the upper left corner of this photo taken after I shook his hand and moved to the back:

I shook hands with him and said something like, "It's really great to meet you. I think you're fantastic." Of course I thought of lots of better things to say after the fact, but that's okay.

Marissa got a good photo with him, Nikhil, and CEO Eric:

As Eric said after Pres. Clinton left, "Just another ordinary day at Google."
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Well, I had a baby! His name is Max and he's one month old. He was born on Mother's Day; the kid has great timing. And he's the most amazing thing ever. Keith and I love him soooo much! We built a website for him and Keith has been awesome helping Max update it practically daily.

In other news, Google News won the 2003 Webby for News. I was the lead designer of the product so I'm extremely happy about it. In this photo of the News-Team I'm a stick figure because I'm out on maternity leave; if only my extra weight would come off that fast! While Keith was at The Motley Fool, leading the webteam, they won 1 Webby and 2 People's Choice Awards, so that makes us a 4 Webby family. Pretty cool.
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I have a confession: it’s been nearly 9 months since my last blog.

Wow, time really does fly when you’re having fun. Speaking of 9 months, I’m ~34 weeks along in my pregnancy. This boy is one active, kicking, rolling critter. You can sometimes see his movements through my clothing. It is so weird yet so very cool to have another life inside you. Here he is at just 20 weeks: 12.5MB. I can’t wait to meet him. I can wait for the labor however, but I’ll be ready.

Keith and I have been reading a lot and now we’re starting classes to prepare. My favorite mental image so far is to “surf the contractions”. I’m going to make a CD (similar to the MP3 list I use when I’m running and working out) to play while I’m in labor to inspire me to stay strong.

Keith reads to the baby every night so he can hear his dad's voice (he hears mine all day of course) and to establish a sort of bedtime routine even if it is midnight. We’ll see if baby boy recognizes the stories once he’s “on the outside”.

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Family and friends are what it's all about.

This is my first post in over 3 months. I've been really busy with my new, fantastic job. I'm very lucky to work at such a great company full of super-smart, amazing people. I can't believe I've gotten this lucky twice.

I'm in a photo mood. This is my good friend, Shelley. We were roommates when I was a United flight attendant. I hadn't seen her in about 4 years. That's way too long.

And here are two beautiful roses: my husband, Keith, and my mom."

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(January 16, 2002 repost -- Some things are so good you have to post them twice!)
If you didn't already know it, Google is the fastest, most accurate, best search site in the world. And now they've made it even easier for you to utilize their amazing service. You can now download their search box so it automatically appears in your Internet Explorer toolbar. This way "you can quickly and easily use Google to search from any website location, without returning to the Google home page to begin another search." Enjoy!
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Six Months Later

As I watched last night's extraordinarily well-presented "9|11" (filmed by Jules and Gedeon Naudet), I was touched by the immense pride and "Let's roll"* attitude we, as individual Americans and proponents of freedom, possess. No amount of terrorism will ever take that away.

Whoever is out there still trying to plot against us, you may as well forget it. Your plans have back-fired. We will never give up the fight for freedom. I look into the faces of the 343 firefighters who died for us, and I mourn for every one of them and their families. Those who lost their lives in the WTC, Pentagon, and planes that day will not have died in vain. Every one of those heroes (fire fighter, office worker, woman, man, child) inspires us to live every day to its fullest.

*As proclaimed by Todd Beamer before he and others gallantly charged the terrorists aboard UAL's Flight 93.
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I guess it's true that money can't buy me love but I made my life a little easier by making friends with Quicken's Turbo-Taxman. As advertised, filing online is "easy, fast, and complete" plus you maximize your refund AND receive it quickly. Happy tax-prepping! ;P
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Last night Dateline aired "The Real West Wing" (a day in the life of President Bush and his employees). During the breaks, commercials regarding drilling for oil in ANWR were most prevalent. This was sort of funny since (when I last checked) Bush was very much in favor of drilling there. Well, I guess it's hard even for the President to control what commercials air during a show about him. Anyway, as I was watching the President and the commercials, I was thinking that life is "simply" an extremely complex balancing act everyone: for us peons in our little capsules and for the leaders making way too many big decisions for us. Fact is, someone has to do it; I just hope it's the people with the most information on a subject. Oh, and hopefully they have ethics -- big ones -- make that, big brass ones. Yeah ethics are good. I don't think you can have too many of those. Everything else should be in moderation though: don't get crazy with the Cheez Whiz, and watch that alcohol intake, and for the love of Pete don't smoke. You even have to watch the good stuff: don't have too much sex (with too many people, anyway), and don't look too happy (people might think you're crazy), and don't help people so much that you don't have time for yourself, causing you to become become grumpy and bitter. Keep it even, Steven. Keep it all balanced. Come on, you can do it. Wow! And sometimes it's just a guessing game, these balancing decisions we make. You can even have all the facts and be 99.9999...% sure of something, but you've gotta make up the difference for that last little unknown bit and just sort of hope you're right. We've all made bad decisions that we were pretty darn sure were the correct way to go. Imagine this: you drill into an amazing Arctic refuge and completely disrupt it's serene existence because you're pretty darn sure we need to be more self-efficient, and then 2 years later some awesome new technology gets finalized that makes oil unnecessary. Yikes. But who knew? Who could've seen that coming? And deciding to go to war with another country -- think of all the innocent (and otherwise) lives that affects. Your decision could be one that causes people to die. Compared to that, my decisions, including the bad ones, don't seem nearly so gigantic or awful.

The overall point that I'm trying to make is that life is a balance. The President and other officials have to decide whether we sacrifice virgin land so we can have more available energy. They don't know what's coming down the pike. What if some new energy is to be discovered? And what if innocent animals die from this? What if the culmination of all these decisions is that we wear out the Earth and leave nothing for our children? What if we're all blown up and die tomorrow? Then we certainly needn't have worried at all. It's sort of like the problem I've had saving for retirement. It's hard to sacrifice now without knowing how long I'll be around. And what if I actually become rich and famous. Why should I have suffered at all? Fact is, we don't know what's going to happen. We have to figure out how to live comfortably enough now while ensuring some sort of livable future.

Best of luck to you, co-lifers. We're in this together.
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If you didn't already know it, Google is the fastest, most accurate, best search site in the world. And now they've made it even easier for you to utilize their amazing service. You can now download their search box so it automatically appears in your Internet Explorer toolbar. This way "you can quickly and easily use Google to search from any website location, without returning to the Google home page to begin another search." Enjoy!
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Chalk another one up for red wine. Last week the world's oldest man died at the age of 112 claiming that one glass of red wine was his secret to long life. One question: how did he only have just one? Moderation must really be key. Houston take note, for you have another problem.
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When I was 5 years old, a stench of skunks moved in under our house for a few months. Surprising to me, they never smelled bad. Then when I was 7, we moved to the boonies of Stafford, Virginia where we frequently saw pileated woodpeckers, red foxes, owls, beavers, and of course droves of deer. To this day, I love wild animals, and seeing them is always a big thrill.

This Fall, Keith and I went hiking in the Blue Ridge Mountains along Skyline Drive. On our way out of the woods, about a mile from the car, we were startled by a huge cat landing on the trail about 50 feet in front of us. We knew instantly it was no bobcat, which are much smaller. It was a full-grown mountain lion. I was a bit nervous as to whether it would hurt us, but Keith said "we won't see it again," and it was gone. As we approached the place where it had been, we realized what it had been after. There was a nice-sized buck, just off the path, staring at us. I swear he was looking at us as if to say, "Please don't go. Don't let it get me." Then he seemed to come to his senses and realize he could use our presence as a window of opportunity to get the hell out of there. Mountain lions are unfortunately very rare; we have friends who live in those mountains and have never seen one. This day was very special.

The most recent interaction with the wild happened today in our own urban backyard of Alexandria, Virginia. I was rinsing dishes and looked out the window in time to see a huge bird perched on our fence eating the very red insides of an entire bird carcass. We're sure it was a peregrine falcon. That is a beautiful bird. I was so awed by it, I was able to put aside my squeamish stomach and watch it devour it's prey for a few minutes. Apparently it got full or simply felt vulnerable staying in one place too long, so it left. It also left us a little reminder it'd been there: half of a bloody bird still rests on our fence -- survival of the fittest at work. Speaking of which: Osama, it looks like the consensus is that you're not fit. You can run all you like but we will catch you.

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It's a new year, so I figure it's time I join this cool blogging thing. My husband, Keith, has been blogging on Go Nutty since November and it's high time I jumped on board. This is also good motivation to finally get kerah.com looking like something the cat didn't drag in, so maybe I can get a good job after being laid off from The Motley Fool November 30th. Although I really just want to be like Chris Locke and write: try to figure out what the hell's the matter with the world, how to deal, and how to fix it.

Speaking of writing, recent events and the hope for better times (or at least serious ass kicking on our part) in 2002 prompted me to write a poem (something I haven't done in a while). Disclaimer: I'm out of practice, so it pretty much sucks, but it's from the heart. Oh, and I had two big glasses of merlot with dinner, but I'm not so sure that didn't help my writing. I'll have to perform more rigorous research.

Now

Though I've been high once or twice this year*
the low times stick out far above.

Is this what it's about?
Why is the big picture so far out of focus?

Why must the usually "good kids" suffer
so horribly at the whims of the crazy?

Why can't they see that now is life?
Not later, not soon, not after they die.

Now is the only time we're sure of.
We are all we've got for sure.

____________________________________
* married on Good Friday, the 13th of April

Have a safe and prosperous new year. Let's make this one count.
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