Vis-a-vis my progeny (new baby thread)

[Bernard]

Or you could get an Ergo (I love babywearing :-)

These do give you absolute maximum mobility, but I think you already have a Baby Bjorn, no?

[elpollodiablo]

We do! But already with her at 14 lbs it starts to kill my back after a while (I, like my father, have some back issues that will probably get worse as I age). Which sucks, because I really, really like wearing her; it enables me to get a lot done. I have friends who have these Kelty Child Carrier backpack things that seem pretty keen: http://goo.gl/MJhO4

I think we're gonna go with the McLaren umbrella stroller. Thanks for the recs!

[elpollodiablo]

Also Katie that second photo of your son looks like some kind of professional baby photo, or like one you'd get when you buy a picture frame!

[Bernard]

Ooh, that Kelty is rad. The problem I have with the Ergo is that it both doesn't have a lot of storage space, I can fit maybe a wallet + sunglasses + phone in the pocket, and it ties up the shoulder space you'd otherwise use to carry a bag.

[clare]

Or you could get an Ergo (I love babywearing :-)

These do give you absolute maximum mobility, but I think you already have a Baby Bjorn, no?

We do! But already with her at 14 lbs it starts to kill my back after a while (I, like my father, have some back issues that will probably get worse as I age). Which sucks, because I really, really like wearing her; it enables me to get a lot done.

Bjorns are good for little babies, but as they get bigger you need something different, as their rep as a back/shoulder killer is well known. The Ergo is good cos you can put her on your back and totally get stuff done! The storage capacity of the Ergo isn't great (though you can get a backpack that fits on with the Ergo, and if you're carrying the child on your front with it, you can use a backpack. I tend to carry the child on my back and the backpack on my front). You'll probably find with the Kelty, and other rigid-framed carriers, that because the child's weight isn't really close to your body that it'll pull on your shoulders and back too. If you do really love wearing her then the Ergo, or similar soft structured carrier is a good investment, as you can use them for ever. I still carry Erik occasionally. I'm not saying "don't get the stroller" by any means, they definitely have their place. Anyway, I can see your eyes glazing over so I'll try to stfu now. (I really love/d wearing my boys).

[Bernard]

Clare, how did you work the backpack/Ergo combo? Mine has wide, thick straps, they used up all my shoulder real estate.

[kadiekatRN]

We rock the Ergo, but not as much as I probably should.  It is a little cumbersome in colder weather because we mostly get around by car and he's not supposed to wear a winter jacket in his car seat, but then it gets too cold in the carrier and/or it is not comfortable to wear while I'm wearing a winter jacket.  You wouldn't have this issue as much in NYC, though, as your main issue is more getting in and out of public transit. 

More recently we've had the opposite problem--we both get a little toasty in warm weather when I'm wearing him...

[clare]

Clare, how did you work the backpack/Ergo combo? Mine has wide, thick straps, they used up all my shoulder real estate.

Ah...trying to remember, but I think I put the Ergo on first and then the backpack after, _over_ the ergo straps. The Ergo backpack has straps that clip in around the Ergo straps kind of...I don't think I have particularly wide shoulders, but they're not super narrow, but it all seemed to work out OK. It's basically the same notion as carrying a big packpack on your back and a daypack on your front, which is something I've seen backpackers do all over the place. I don't have the Ergo anymore, but one of the ones I still use (Babyhawk Oh Snap!) has pretty bulky straps, and I think I still use a backpack over it. Other brands to look at include 'Manduca', 'Olives and Applesauce', 'Kinderpack' and 'Kanga' (O&A have particularly flat straps). None of them have a lot of storage space (in fact I think only the Ergo has its own pocket) but you can always use another Ergo trick - they have a little pouch that you can attach to the waist strap for your wallet, phone, keys etc. You can use something like that on all the soft carriers.

[Bernard]

Ah, some type of clips or attachments would certainly help.

[clare]

They do! And in fact, looking at the Ergo website, I see that there's another pack in between the backpack and little pouch that you can attach to the waist belt called the Cargo Pack...

[mixed cats]

I am really fucking full of babbies you guys
I mean it's just one and whatever but oh god it's everywhere

[Bernard]

In a reassuring, "that's a healthy kid" way? Or in a supper annoying "get your toes out of my ribs" way?

[mixed cats]

Mostly the former, occasionally the latter. Normally it's just kind of funny with the constant kicking and shoving. We're very active and I laugh a lot! But sometimes it's positioned in a way that prevents me from doing things, like sometimes I can barely lean forward enough to put the key in the ignition of my car after I get in.

[clare]

I hated the 'not being able to wear shoes with laces' bit. I also hated the 'headbutting my cervix' bit. Not long now I s'pose :-)

[mixed cats]

Oh yeah! I have roll-up maternity pants, and I have to undo the cuffs to wash them, and it is just CRUEL. I should've just gotten regular crops instead of this convertible junk.

[fishjim]

from FB

Twins. They really do have their own language. My 2-year-olds seem to have agreed that “oof” means dog, “meemee” means a man on a motorcycle, or anyone in a superhero costume. And “ire fuck” is something that goes by once an hour with sirens blaring.

[YojimboMonkey]

"ire fuck" seems like a variant on the grudge fuck. Whereas "eire fuck" seemed to be what the kid with the fake Irish accent was trying to pull with this girl on the train yesterday.

[elpollodiablo]

Took Marin into Manhattan for the first time today. She was her awesome, imperturbable little self the whole way.

[Bernard]

cheers mama, pour one of those for me & let's take the kids to the park

[kadiekatRN]

What a sweet baby!

[Bernard]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9O-Q5vJ-GHk

yay milk!

[mixed cats]

I had a baby shower today
When I was born, I was given a blanket with Snoopy on it, and it was my security blanket as I grew up, so it got wrecked from me taking it everywhere. Now I'm all old but I still have it and keep it wadded up under my pillow.

My mom thought it would be cute to get a Snoopy blanket for her grandbaby, and when she searched online, she found the exact same blanket on eBay. It was being sold as new old stock - vintage, but never used. She bid on it (a lot!) but nobody bid against her so she got it for ten bucks.

So here's my gross destroyed one and the new one together. Weird.


Also oh my god so much baby stuff *ded*

[kadiekatRN]

Baby showers are intense--it's usually pretty amazing how generous people are. Then, of course, you're left wondering whether you'll need all that stuff.  And the answer is no, but you'll sometimes be surprised with the things you needed and the things you didn't!

That's awesome that your mom was able to track down the same blankey.  It's almost as awesome that the tatters of the old one remain.

Bernard, the beginning part of that short was a little too reminiscent of my own pumping! 

[Bernard]

Ha! I know what you mean.

[dumbfish]

The Shroud of the Beagle.