Mrinal’s Neighborhood

FriendsInMyGlass

I don't post much here because I have another blog and a facebook page. I do really like vox though, so even if I don't blog I still upload pictures and videos, and you can still semd me messages. Just because I lay low doesn't mean I'm not here.

Show us your favorite photo from last summer.

Graydayflower

1 comment

Apr07 010

I've added a few recent pictures, mostly of flowers. you can check them out here.

Also really thrilled that there's a Portland banner! Way to represent, Vox.

What is more real that the experience of being a parent and taking responsibility for another life? But once the little one is asleep, or busy playing, there is a time and a place to use the web to help make our parenting lives a little easier. I am new at this, but keep finding interesting new corners of the internet with resources for helping raise baby. One new one, still in beta (that means trial period of sorts), is CareSquare. I would be interested if anyone has feedback on this. I'll be starting the search for childcare soon and it would be great to know if this actually works. It takes the web 2.0 concept and applies it to the (potentially) frustrating search for qualified care for your kids in the moments you can't (or choose not to) be with them. I like their story of how they started. I'll be testing it out and see if I like it.

For carrying a baby, I love the Mobywrap .  Sure it took some time to get used to putting it on (a friend compared it to learning to tie your shoes). To be honest, the first time I saw it, I was so intimidated by all the fabric that I walked out of the store. Only after the friend showed me what it looked like on (with her daughter sleeping peacefully as we strolled through downtown Campbell) was I inspired to go back and check it out. Once I got it, though, I was sold. Babies can face in or out and they are right against you (as opposed to in a Baby Bjoern). I still use it, even though A* is 22 pounds. My husband is also a convert. His first reaction was "that looks way to feminine, forget it" - but after he wore it and rocked A* to sleep in it at a friend's house, he was sold! Now he loves it. We can both wear it for a really long time without back aches. And of course A* loves it! I wish I had started using it earlier, but I'll be ready for #2!

Locally, I have enjoyed shopping at TinyTots Togs in Campbell. I can't always afford what they are selling, but they have some really good products for mothers, helpful staff, and a philosophy I support. They also have cloth diaper service.

Before I had A*, I joined a pre-natal yoga group at Harmony in Campbell. It was a great place to meet other future moms, talk about pregnancy, birth, and child rearing. I met two great moms through that class and we are still in touch for walks and coffee whenever our schedules permit.

Of course, BabyCenter.com is a great resource for mothers-to-be ... and beyond. Not only do they provide weekly updates on how your baby is developing (both in utero and once he or she is out among the rest of us), they have videos, tips for moms and a shopping section. There are also discussion boards and blogs from mothers all over.

Before facing the insanity that is BabiesRUs, I was glad to have read Baby Bargains. Actually, my first trip to Babies R Us was before I read that, and I was totally overwhelmed. Who knew that there was a womb sound emulator embedded teddy bear for newborns? Did I need one?  The answer, of course, was no, but that and a thousand other glitzy products lurked between me and my destination - a simple collection of the bare basics.  Reading the book helped counteract the sheer mass of items on the shelves and helped me stay focused on what I did and didn't need (or want) for my baby.

Baby Bargains: Secrets to Saving 20% to 50% on Baby Furniture, Equipment, Clothes, Toys, Maternity W

Denise Fields

After weeks, nay, months, of my husband nagging me, I am at last starting a blog. I started this in my head as I was walking around the neighborhood with A* and it sounded pithy and witty then. Let's hope I can re-create it now! 

This blog will be a collection of ramblings, things I have learned since giving birth to A*, and tips for things I find indespensable. Feel free to leave your own comments and advice. I am particularly always looking for ways to do fun things on a limited budget here in the Bay Area. I also work full time, so tips about ways to "have it all" - a close relationship with baby, a rewarding job, and a clean house (see the definition of impossible) - and hey, lets throw in a hobby or two and a good relationship with the man in my life - would be welcome. I'm working on it, but there is a long way to go.

So, let's get started with what I *do* know. First, a caveat: I am a Dr. Sears kind of mom (when I get time to read the book, that is). I believe in following your instincts and raising the child to be YOUR child (not someone else's who obviously had time to write a book). I do my best and try to forgive myself when I don't quite accomplish it. I try to live simply, reduce waste, and keep expenses to a minimum, without sacrificing  enjoyment of life.  I am openly nostalgic for my own childhood (mud cakes, anyone? tree climbing?). I shop for baby clothes at goodwill, I live for hand-me-downs, and I didn't buy A* anything for her first Christmas. (She had a ton of fun with the wrapping paper on our presents and then went back to playing with the plastic bowls from the kitchen, anyway, so it was a huge success).  So what works for me, might not work for you - but let us know what does!

Show us something thought-provoking.
Submitted by luminousshadow11.

 

berlin wall

cerro brujo flora

i made it back from ecuador and the galapagos in one piece. i'm in the process of adding my pictures, so hopefully that'll be done today. happy viewing!

i've been without internet for a full week. i switched from qwest to comcast, but we had a little trouble connecting on the install, so i had to re-schedule.