A brief interuption...

...from my cleaning and projects before the family and kiddos return this afternoon. To simply share how much I LOVE Claussen pickles! It can't be any pickle, it must be Claussen, found in the refrigerated section of the grocery store. Must be dill, and must NOT be the bread n butter variety. Honestly, I don't buy them very often because they're $3-something per jar that usually only lasts one week and it's an easy thing to just go without. But last week I splurged. And mmm, soo good! Delicious as a mere 5-calorie snack, and they truly make a sandwich. So go, if you haven't tried them before, splurge and have yourself a treat!


Okay, now to resuming my cleaning. With the kids gone, yesterday we got some big projects done, and I can't wait to show you my before and afters! So stay tuned in the next couple of days! Until then, I'll be hanging out with my grandma, grandpa, mom, and kids while sipping sweet tea out on our front porch and grilling hamburgers! HAPPY TUESDAY!


P.S. If you usually read my blog in a blog reader, you should stop by and see my new blog background!

My favorite baby carrier

I've been wanting to do this review sometime, and then when I saw on my friend Sharon's blog today that it's International Babywearing Week (Nov. 12-18), I knew I just had to get this posted today!

We've tried a sling and an Infantino (Bjorn type) carrier. But I just could not figure out the sling--when Eli was a newborn, the sling seemed to swallow him up, and when he was older and I tried him sitting up facing out it seemed like his legs were completely squashed in there. The only way I could kind of get the sling to work was with him on my hip, but it never felt secure enough for me to let go. So most of the time we used the Infantino front pouch carrier, but it always seemed to slip on me so it wasn't snug, and it hurt my back. Not to mention that once Eli was 15 lbs or so, he was just too heavy to carry in it. So before Hannah was born we looked into other baby carriers, and we decided on the Ergo Baby Carrier.

It had great reviews and looked like it would really work for us all the way from infancy through toddlerhood. Instead of the weight pulling on your shoulders, there's a thick band around the waist, so the weight is support there instead of your shoulders and back. It's very comfortable to wear! There are only two buckles, so it's quick and easy to get baby in and out. And it adjusts so Hannah is snug and tight right against me. Newborns fit in this carrier sideways, and even then she was nice and snug. She was so tiny in there, most people didn't even know I was carrying a baby! Then when she was about 4 months old, she could then switch so she saddled up against me instead of sitting sideways. I'll admit, there were a couple months then where she didn't like it, but I guess she got over it because now she loves it. AND there's a sleeping hood for baby, or a shade if you have a newborn. And there are enough small pockets on it for me to fit my keys, wallet, and a burp cloth.

This carrier can be worn on your front, hip, or back. The hip position felt horrible on me, but it works well on either the front or back. And even Eli can ride in it! He can still be worn on both the front and back, even as a toddler. We don't do this often, because he is an independent toddler, but in a pinch we have used it as an option.

Take a look at the pictures...

testing it out when we first got it

This was a Boston trip in which the sleeping shade was great for while Hannah napped.

This was a zoo trip and we started off with Hannah in the carrier...

...but then we did a flip flop of the kids so Eli could be up to see the zoo exhibits

someone's getting sleepy

worn on our New Hampshire vacation for long hikes
For day trips it worked just fine to wear a backpack in addition to the carrier.

We don't just use a baby carrier for special occasions. I most frequently use it every week when I go grocery shopping and need Eli in the cart. Every week the same cashier guy tells me my back must be hurting me because I'm wearing Hannah around and she's 9 months old now, and every week I tell him, "Nope, not at all. It's a good carrier!"

So there ya have it! My lovely review of the Ergo Baby Carrier.

My new favorite thing

So we just got a new double stroller system, Baby Trend Sit & Stand, right after we got back to Iowa. It's soooo nice to have since we weren't able to fit the double jogger in the van when we moved, and it got left behind with all the rest of our things. This serves a different purpose from the jogger though. The double jogger is GREAT for walking outside which I love to do, but because the front wheel does not pivot (meaning you have to lift the front in order to make turns) and it's pretty wide, it is not good at all for indoor use, which I knew when we got it (off Craigs List) so I'm fine with that. For quite awhile I could just put Eli in his umbrella stroller and Hannah in the front pouch, and I still do that sometimes, like at the grocery store, but if I'm in a place where I know Eli is going to want "up", like at a parade or aquarium or zoo, then I can't be carrying Hannah in the pouch. So we got this new stroller for outings or shopping, and right now since I don't have the double jogger, it's just fine for walks too! And wow, I love it!

Eli can stand on the back or sit (he likes to sit facing forward even though it's meant for him to ride backwards). And Hannah can sit in the front seat or if she was asleep in the car, then her car seat can transfer to the stroller. It's kind of bulky with the car seat on the front, but it's definitely nice to have that option, since no one likes to wake a sleeping baby! This stroller gives Eli independence and makes him feel like a big boy, while at the same time keeping him contained, which everyone knows is very necessary with a toddler! It's easier to get him to just "hop on" than to get him to hold my hand or strap into a stroller all the time.

This stroller is very lightweight and easy to fold! I can even fold it up and put it in the van while holding Hannah on my hip at the same time! It's not bulky, except when the car seat is on it (just my opinion), and very easy to steer! There's a good storage basket underneath, though I haven't needed to really use it much. The attachments (car seat adapter or snack tray) are very easy to put on. And it's really a pretty good price, purchased at Target!

So yeah, I definitely love the new stroller and just thought I'd share my thoughts in case you were thinking about what to get for your own family!

Eli sitting

Eli standingWe didn't have the umbrella stroller with us this day, so we used this stroller and brought Mr. Bear along with us on our walk to the park while Hannah stayed home to nap.

Hannah was asleep when we decided to stop at the park.

I also have a review on our pouch carrier, but I'll have to wait 'til Kevin's back with the computer so I can post our pics of it. So stay tuned for more about my favorite products!