Random Updates

I know all three of my readers haven't been able to sleep because they spend their nights wondering what we're up to in the Fukumoto household. I decided to end their senseless torture and tie up some loose ends.

1. Capsule Wardrobe

I'm going to be honest here...I started out with the best of intentions, but I've reverted back to old habits, and on most days, I reach for my yoga pants or norts. Maybe when Rory isn't constantly getting into things she shouldn't be, and I'm not crawling after her in the sandbox, it may make more sense to wear nicer clothes, but for now, loose, comfortable clothing just makes sense. I am making more of an effort on weekends, and the idea of a capsule wardrobe has helped me in other ways. I've cleaned out my closet, identified my "uniform", and I find it easier to resist impulse purchases. It also prevented me from overpacking for San Francisco. I used all but one of the clothing items I brought because I thought in terms of outfits rather than individual pieces. I still plan on creating a fall capsule wardrobe because I like the idea of condensing my clothing and focusing on versatile pieces that make sense for the upcoming season and my lifestyle. My friend, Karla, has done an awesome job with her CW. She posts her outfits on Instagram daily...and she has two boys under the age of five, so I really have no excuse. Perhaps I need to post my outfits on my blog...a little accountability goes a long way. Or so I've been told.

2. The Basement

Our basement is finally finished...after 7 long weeks. The original estimate for completion was three weeks, but when do contractors ever finish on time? Marcos and I decided to paint the room ourselves in order to save some money, and if we had to do it again, I'm pretty sure we would have happily shelled out the dough. It was a long, tedious process made even longer by the fact that we have a 10 month old. This means that we could only paint during nap times and when she was in bed for the night. It seemed like it would never end. But, of course, it did end, and now we are enjoying the extra space. It's one big room, but we designated one half as a TV/movie watching area and the other half as Rory's play space. We also plan to put visitors down here where it's quiet and cool and there isn't a baby in the next room who makes up before it's light outside.

3. Feeding/Breastfeeding

Several people have commented on what a good eater Rory is. She pretty much eats whatever we put in front of her. (And whatever she finds on the floor.) I'm sure that will change and there will come a day when she refuses to eat anything except chicken nuggets and macaroni and cheese. But for now, she is into hummus, mushroom risotto, vegetarian Shepard's pie, you name it. She pretty much feeds herself at this point, but I do spoon feed her yogurt and oatmeal.

Ahhh....breastfeeding. My struggle with BF was one of the reasons I started this blog in the first place, but Rory and I have come a long way. I have to admit, I never really grew to love it...but I did grow not to hate it. (If that's not a ringing endorsement for breastfeeding, I don't know what is.) Rory is now feeding twice a day, once in the morning, and once at night. I plan to go down to just the nighttime feeding in a few weeks, and hopefully she will be completely weaned by one year. I've tried giving her some whole milk to replace her midday feedings, but she's not a fan. So, I use it in her oatmeal instead. I worry about her getting enough vitamins and nutrients, and I know a lot of people would say that twice a day isn't enough for a 10.5 month old, but it's working for us. And if there's anything I've learned from this whole BF process, it's that you can't listen to other people. You have to do what's right for you and your baby.



4. Cloth Diapers

We ended up getting a new washer a few months ago because our old one wasn't agitating...which is important. I love our new front load washer, and it's been great for CD, but lately her diapers have been reeking of ammonia. (Once they've been sitting in her pail for a few hours.) I spoke to several friends and called our local CD store to ask for some advice, and I came to the following conclusions.

1. The ammonia smell may be the result of too much detergent (build up)
2. ...Or it may be the result of too little detergent
3. My HE washer may not be using enough water to wash the dipes
4. I may need to do more rinses
5. I may need to strip my diapers
6. I may need to change my wash routine
7. I may need to wash my diapers more often

Notice how there's a whole lot of maybes? This whole CD thing is all trial and error. One of my friends suggested using Funk Rock Ammonia Bouncer, so I've been using two tablespoons in the prewash cycle, and that seems to be helping. I didn't realize that I should only be using half a scoop of the recommended amount of detergent, so I'm almost positive the ammonia is a result of build up rather than too little detergent. I really wanted to avoid using bleach to strip my diapers, but the smell isn't 100% gone, so I may have to bite the bullet. I don't mind doing a few extra rinses, but one of the main reasons I use CD is to save water/money, and if I'm rinsing my cloth diapers five times every other day, that seems to defeat the purpose. After doing some research and going back to the drawing board, my new wash routine is as follows:

Quick wash with two tablespoons of Funk Rock (warm)
Normal wash with half a scoop of Country Save detergent and an extra rinse (hot)

If the smell gets any worse, I will try to add more rinses or strip with bleach. I've also gotten better about washing every other day, and I think that's been helping. Three days is too long to go without washing. The nice woman from the store who tried helping me over the phone also suggested that I put a towel in with my diapers to trick the washer into using more water.




5. Sleep

Rory has been sleeping through the night since 6.5 months, and I couldn't be more relieved. Sleep deprivation was by far the hardest part about being a new parent. From about 4 to 6 months she was only waking up once a night, which wasn't bad, but sometimes it would take me hours to fall back asleep. Rory's naps are also much better. She naps twice a day, for a total of about 3 hours. Her naps range anywhere from 45 minutes to 2 hours, but as long as she wakes up happy, I don't stress about it. Looking back on how obsessed concerned I was about her sleep habits, I realize how much time and energy I wasted worrying about her short naps and her midnight feedings. Sleeping through the night and condensed daytime sleep are developmental milestones. You can't rush it...it happens when they're ready. I have several friends with babies who are Rory's age, and their sleep habits are across the board. Some have been sleeping through the night since a few months, and some are still waking up for a feeding. Some take three naps, and some are already down to one. One think I know for sure is that I won't worry so much with baby number 2...mostly because I have no choice but to be more easy-going with two children, but also because I know now that all phases, good or bad, come to an end.

Baby Eating Must Haves

Rory is two weeks away from turning six months (seriously, when did this happen?!), and I know all the books say to wait until six months to start babies on solids, but she is already sitting up unassisted and just this past week she began reaching for our food, so I took this as a sign. We haven't gone all out. She's not eating pureed of anything yet (and probably never will), but we're testing the waters with some pretty simple foods, including banana, avocado, and applesauce. Even though we've just started this journey towards "real food", I've already discovered what I can't live without. Here are a few of the basics that have recently become invaluable to us:
















1. Baby-led Weaning
A friend lent me this book when I was still pregnant and until a few weeks ago I had completely forgotten about it. When I realized we were getting close to introducing solids, I dug it out of my box of pregnancy books, brushed off the dust, and proceeded to read the entire book in one sitting. It's not a particularly riveting book, it's just an easy read that makes sense. I had been dreading the process of making my own baby food and spooning unidentifiable mush into Rory's mouth three times a day. So, when I read that the baby-led weaning philosophy is based on the concept of "baby eats what we eat", I knew it was for me. Rather than feeding Rory mashed food, I offer her real food in manageable/safe pieces. This book is based on several basic beliefs:
-Baby eats independently when possible
-Baby eats foods as close to their natural form as possible
-Baby eats what parents eat when possible
Supposedly, when children grow up eating whole foods alongside their parents, they are less likely to be picky eaters and more likely to be willing to try new foods. If all we offer babies are bland, unseasoned, and mushy versions of the foods we eat, how can we expect them to be eager to try new foods with stronger flavors? I also like the idea of allowing Rory to feed herself whenever possible. Yes, it will get messy and she probably won't get much food in her mouth in the beginning, but what a great way to teach independence, coordination, and self-autonomy. Obviously, Rory's safety is most important, which means I will take special precautions to make sure the foods we offer are soft enough and small enough to avoid choking, and I will probably end up making a few vegetable/fruit purees in the beginning, but so far I'm totally on board with the ideas presented in this book.






2. Munchkin Mesh Feeders

These things are amazing! I picked ours up at a consignment sale for a few bucks. They are a great way to introduce whole foods without worrying about choking/overeating. In the mornings, while I'm making my own breakfast, I usually stick a small piece of fruit in one and Rory goes to town on it. The mesh holes are super small, so no big pieces can get through, but she still gets plenty of the juices.





3. Boon Bendable Spoon and Fork
I plan on allowing Rory to "feed herself" as soon as possible, and these bendable utensils make it easier for her to find her mouth because let's face it, babies don't have the best hand-eye coordination. I also like that they bend both ways so babies don't have to be limited to using only one hand.




4. Boon Double-Ended Spoons

We've already used these spoons to feed Rory applesauce and mashed banana. I love that they are double ended and angled. The rubber side is perfect for wiping Rory's face when she inevitably spits out half of whatever makes it in her mouth.




5. Baby Bowls

Again, we plan to use these in a few months when Rory is able to take more control of the feeding process. I have three different sizes, but they all have suctioned bottoms that attach to her high chair tray and prevent her from picking them up and throwing them across the room. (Sorry, Marli.)




6. Skip Hop Tuck Away Bib

My friend gave me one of these before Rory was born, and I was excited to finally get to use it. (It's the little things.) The material is super easy to wipe down and it's great for traveling because you can simply tuck it back into a little pouch and throw it in your diaper bag. the front pocket also catches random pieces of food that may otherwise fall on the floor. (Again, sorry Marli.)






7. High Chair(s)

I know this is kind of an obvious one, but I really just wanted to brag about the deals I got on our two high chairs. The larger high chair is the one that we use on a daily basis. I scored it on Craigslist for $40! After a thorough wipe down, it looks brand new. We haven't used our travel chair yet, but I bought it at a local consignment sale for $19. I found out later that it retails for $70. I plan on using the travel chair when we go to friends' houses for dinner or out to eat, but I know a lot of people that skip the traditional chair altogether and use the travel chair at home to save space.





8. Happy Baby Organic Food Pouches

So, I know I just sung the praises of Baby Led Weaning, but we have bought a few of these organic food pouches for Rory. I agree that whole foods are best whenever possible, but I'm also a realist. I understand there will be times when we will need to feed Rory on the go, and these are the perfect solution. They have a ton of different flavors (many with fruits AND vegetables) and they're all organic with no preservatives. These pouches are also a great way for babies to try new foods without you having to buy a bunch of expensive fruit and vegetables that may end up just going to waste if your baby isn't a fan. Plus, Rory is still in the beginning stages of eating, so I don't feel comfortable giving her pieces of anything yet. I usually mix a few teaspoons of these purees with mashed banana or avocado.

Yum!

Bananas are my favorite.