The Safety Zone

100% crash proof

Jul 27

Tue

The Old School Approach to Baby Toys

This is the latest toy I picked up for Lily. It's her first ball and holds just the right amount of her attention before she needs to move on to the next project.

My mom tells me stories of me playing with spoons, sticks and other random household items. It's those stories, coupled with seeing my nephew grow up, that shaped the way I look at baby toys. When I was asked what I wanted for Lily, I asked for books, older clothes and everyday items. Toys were on the list, but I knew that filtering in a toy here or there was better than inundated Lily with options she may grow bored of.

Here is the breakdown of what Lily's been playing with since birth.

Sophie and Chan Pie Gnon

These chew/teether toys continue to make Lily squeal. After her 5:30 am change and playtime, this dynamic duo keeps Lily occupied while I get her bottle ready. Both were gifts!

"Tortuga"

I can't find this image online, but Lily's in love with her musical turtle. Comes in handy during car rides.

Exersaucer

I just bought this gizmo about a month or so ago. Lily is old enough to understand the ability to both bounce and spin. When I'm cleaning the house or cooking dinner, I can get 30 extra minutes with Lily bouncing around.

Baby Gym

We've been using this gym since month one. Today, babe rolls away from the gym, but she also bends it into a mini tent. The mirror continues to make Lily laugh.

Add in your standard, cute, fuzzy stuff animals and teething ring and that's it, folks. We have a happy, healthy, inquisitive little baby who loves those bright colors and sounds. At the end of the day, however, nothing beats playing 'peekaboo', singing songs and making insane funny faces to your little one.

Jul 24

Sat

First Wine Tasting at Binnys

Jul 17

Sat

Future Moms: Why I Don't Buy Into Baby Clothes Extreme

Lily is a little doll. She truly is. Everyone spots those big eyes of hers, then comment on the way her lips tense up when she's examining a new item. I could easily dress Lily up in new dresses and rompers on a daily basis. There are tempting baby clothes sales from Target, Old Navy, GAP and Macy's ALL the time. By tempting, I mean fabulous pants for $3, dresses for $10 or band t-shirts that are more for mama, then for Lily. Three bucks here, 10 bucks there, it adds up. Let's face it, all baby clothes are for us, not the kids, right? :)

Here's the rub, most babies are the comfiest in elastic, cotton pants and a simple onesie. Most of the time, Lily hangs around the house in this uniform, or, we change things up with shorts or just the onesie. Within an hour of a change, our little princess either spits up, over drools or licks her clothes (she is a master dress licker) to a fine pulp. That little had-to-have outfit I just picked up at the Crazy Insane Boutique was worth a photo opportunity for a family member, that's it.

As of this writing, Lily is 7 months old and the BULK of her wardrobe were gifts from family and friends. Oh sure, I pick up things here and there, but I am thankful to have a deep set of clothes to choose from. I also have an older sister who was kind enough to save my niece's clothes for Lily. Score. The sad part? Lily grew SO fast that there are a handful of outfits she is yet to wear. I spend weekends going through the baby closet sorting the following categories:

Wear now
About to outgrow
Get ready to circulate in
Store in old clothes stack

Because a good portion of Year One's Wardrobe is set, I'm trying to stop buying random clothes and look towards the future - when I'll need a new season's worth of coats, pants, sweaters, etc. Of course, I plan on having my daughter rock some cute winter gear, but I'm not going to go nuts buying things that will never see the light of day.

image c/o Flickr

Jul 17

Sat