What is it?

This toy strap from Pippalily is a must-have for every parent. Strap keeps baby’s favorite toys, teethers and pacifiers off the ground and in one place by attaching to the stroller, car seat, or diaper bag, etc.  The adjustable Velcro end accommodates to almost any baby knickknack.

Why I love it:

I use these straps to keep all of Sam’s toys and teethers in one place while on-the-go; I have one attached to my diaper bag, stroller and car seat.  We kept losing Sam’s toys whether in the stroller or in the car.  His toys would end up all over the place!  Thanks to these straps I always know where to find his toys and keep them off the ground.

While these toy straps are simple, they are unique, as I have not been able to find anything else like them on the market.  Not only are these straps practical, but they look good too as the fabrics are stylish, brightly colored and just plain pretty.  They provide a cute way to accessorize your Mommy paraphernalia.

The toy strap retails for $10, which is reasonable considering how much use you will get out of it and how it makes outings with baby that much easier.

Where to find:

Visit Pippalily to find the closest retailer or you can always order directly from the site (www.pippalily.com).

Bonus

Pippalily products are all handmade in Canada, founded by a fellow Mom – come on ladies, it’s great to be able to support another mom!

Good luck and let me know if you like this product as much as I do!

But, as I would soon discover, no amount of books or information passed down from other Moms could have possibly prepared me for what motherhood was really about.  I think like a lot of things in life, being a Mom is something that is learned by doing.  Except that I still don’t know what I am doing half the time – I’m just doing and for now, that’s good enough.

Here are some of the things I thought as a Mother-to-be:

Once my baby came out, my stomach would go right back to its original shape

False: as soon as my son made his debut, I took one look down at my stomach, shock and disappointment must have been written all over my face because the nurse looked at me and said, “Don’t worry, the fat will come off and breastfeeding will help with that.”

Six months later, my tummy is flat(ish), but nowhere near where it was before I became pregnant!  The first month (maybe the second month too …) I still looked pregnant, sure I didn’t look nine months pregnant, but I did look about 20 weeks – I didn’t expect that!  I knew I wouldn’t have a toned tummy, but I at least thought the bump would go away!   I’ll never forget my cousin coming to visit me in the hospital and blurting out, “Wow, you still look pregnant. I thought the bump would go down right away!” Thanks a lot Jesse … alas she was right.

Breastfeeding would be easy, natural and no fuss, after all I am a maternal kind of girl, made for the role.  I thought you just bring baby to your breast and he will feed.

False again: breastfeeding was so hard and so painful! It was not natural and didn’t just happen, I had to actively work, and I mean work at it to make it happen.  The subject of breast feeding is an entire entry of itself, and I will write more about it later, but to make a long story short let’s just say – Sam had no interest in feeding from my breast, and even if he did, as a result of his lack of interest I had no milk to give him anyways!  Only after:

• painful pumping sessions with a breast pump in the bathtub (heat is supposed to help with letdown?) every hour on the hour;
• prescription medication taken three times a day to increase the milk supply and help with the flow;
• forced positive thoughts in hopes that the love would make my milk flow;
• countless phone appointments and trips back and forth to the breastfeeding clinic at the hospital (they are great there!);
• a lactation consultant;
• several calls to the La Leche League;
• taping a feeding tube to my breast with surgical tape while someone else held a syringe filled with formula and/or breast milk if I was lucky enough to squeeze out even a few drops, while we tricked Sam into thinking it was milk from my breast;
• getting frustrated with taping the tube to my breast (it’s not so easy to get a feeding tube into a baby’s mouth from the breast!) and resorting to finger feeding (google it if you don’t know what this method is and see picture above) – where you tape the feeding tube to someone’s finger (in my case the someone was my fiancé and my mother), put in baby’s mouth and pump formula through the syringe; and
• the use of a (ridiculous looking) breast shield for an entire month and a half …

we were finally breastfeeding!

My baby will NEVER sleep in the same bed as my partner and I, that’s only for ultra New Age families, my baby will sleep on demand and have a regular sleep schedule, at which time, I will have time to myself

Then I had Sam and now I have resigned myself to the fact that I might not sleep again until he is out of the house. I’m tired, exhausted actually.  For the first three months, the only way Sam would sleep was with me, literally on top of me, nuzzled into my chest.  If Sam slept, that meant that I would get to sleep, and as all new Moms know, one of the most challenging parts of the first few months is the lack of sleep.  If letting him sleep in bed with us meant ME getting sleep, than I didn’t care. I needed sleep – desperately.

Looking back at those first few months, besides the breastfeeding, the lack of sleep was by far the hardest part for me (and for my fiancé) so whatever we needed to do to ensure that we would get to sleep, that’s the way it was going to be.  This was in spite of the fact that we had pondered over sleeping arrangements for a while and decided that for us, having Sam in a separate bed would be the way to go.  We were sure we didn’t want him in our bed, but in the end he ended up in there with us, or more like with ME.  Sam slept with ME in our bed – not US as my fiance was too worried that he would roll over on Sam, being the deep sleeper that he is. I would argue with him that my motherly instincts were so strong that there was NO WAY I would roll on the baby.  I still believe this, BUT my fiance does raise a good point when he claims that that is what all mothers who end up rolling on their babies say too.  Maybe he is right.  Regardless, bed sharing felt natural and right for me during that time in Sam’s life and I am happy with my choice.   I really enjoyed the experience, it helped with the breastfeeding and it allowed Sam and I to get a good night’s sleep.  I would probably do it that way again with a second child.  But at around 3 months, we did feel that enough was enough, and were able to successfully move Sam into a crib in his own room.   He now prefers his own space to being crammed in next to me, so despite us worrying that he was getting used to being with us and that he would never get out of our bed, he made a smooth transition to his own crib in his own room.

As for daytime naps, Sam was never a daytime napper and he still isn’t.  This makes it very difficult for me to get anything done in the day, but c’est la vie!  All babies are different and Sam is a very alert, wide-eyed, curious infant who doesn’t want to miss a beat.  The only problem is I have had to change my expectations BIG TIME, as I realized early on that I wouldn’t be having much time to myself as I initially thought I would during the day.  Here is the part when you call a sitter.

I’ll have no problem leaving my baby

False: I was the girl who was planning vacations sans Sam while pregnant for the months following Sam’s birth.  Those trips never happened!  I’ll be honest, from 0-2 months, I could have left him no problem. I don’t think for the first month of his life he even knew who I was and he would have gone to anyone who cared for him at that point.  Also from 0-2 months, I didn’t have a strong attachment to him yet.  I think as with any relationship, love grows over time and it’s no different with your baby.  Also I was so focused on learning the ropes of being a new Mom and trying so hard to breastfeed, my days were spent pumping and feeding and trying to get my milk supply in – I would have GLADLY taken a vacation from all of that!  Now that is something of the past.

Six months later, when I go anywhere without Sam, even just down the street to the convenience store, I feel so naked!  It’s kind of how I used to feel before he was born when I would leave my purse or cell phone at home.  Same feeling.  I also start to really miss him after only a few hours of being away from him.  My fiancé and I went on a date the other night, just to the movies around the corner, and as we were pulling out of the driveway, I started to get this kind of sad, empty feeling, which really surprised me.  I was starting to miss Sam and we hadn’t even left the house yet!  I wonder if this will change over time, I really don’t know….

WAY more shit work than I bargained for

me at 14, clad in diaper changing gear

Fine, experienced mothers laugh all you want … but it’s true, no one tells you how much shit work is involved in this job!  Man.  How can one little baby dirty so many clothes in one day?  It’s not just the dirty diapers, but the spit up, the drool, and now that Sam is eating, his food barely makes it into his mouth; most of it ends up all over his clothes!

Let’s just say there is a good reason that I went into public relations and not nursing.  Ever since I can remember, I have had a weak stomach, especially when it comes to bodily functions and nasty, foul odours.  I remember babysitting my neighbour’s 8 month old and taking him outside into the backyard  to change his diaper (before you think I was a child abuser – it was a hot dry summer day and I was only 14!).  So as you can imagine, I was a little nervous that I would have a hard time with my own son’s bodily functions, but the good news is that I really don’t mind all the shit work involved!  Sure, there is way more of it than I ever imagined, but hey, it’s not like I was going to have dreams of cleaning my son’s shitty diaper or getting puked on for the umpteenth time in a day. The unconditional love and feeling of responsibility I have for Sam has miraculously overridden my weak stomach and I will happily get puked on for the seventh time in a day- any day.

I thought I knew what true love was

OK so I am a big cheese ball, and as cliché as it sounds, there is just no other way to say it; I never knew what love was until Sam came into my life.  I never knew it was possible to love another human being this much.  There are moments when the world stands still I love baby Sam so much.  Motherhood is true love and it’s fabulous.

The other night my cousin and I were taking Sam for a walk, and as we were about to leave, I handed him his beloved teething toy, a giraffe.  My cousin asked why I was giving Sam a squeaky toy from the pet store.  “A dog toy from the pet store? Are you kidding me?”  This toy has a name as well as fame!  Her name happens to be Sophie and she comes from the French Alps and is a far cry from a pet store toy!  After all what squeaky toy costs $25, was handcrafted in the Haute-Savoie Region of France from the sap of the Hevea Tree, and it took 14 manual operations to create her? Huh? Tell me?

Sophie is exclusive, she is a designer toy, a celebrity with a history and . . .most important of all . . . babies love her!

When my friend, the baby product guru, gave me Sophie as a shower gift, I took one look at it and said “WTF is this?”  She looked at me horrified, “Rachael – this is Sophie”. Oh, Sophie! Right … as if I would have any idea that this cheap looking toy giraffe with the dorky grin had a name!  I graciously accepted my gift, took her home and buried her away deep in the recesses of my closet.  After all I had a child to birth in a few weeks, and the last thing I worried about was what toys he would be playing with!

Fast-forward six months later, when Sam was in need of something to chew on, I dug out Sophie and it was love at first sight, or should I say, first chew. Shortly after, I fell in love with her too. Sam adores Sophie.  He gets excited when I bring her to him and he doesn’t react this way to any of his other teething toys.  I think Sophie is brilliant!  While Sam doesn’t appreciate Sophie’s life history, or social status, it doesn’t matter. He could chew on her for hours, she keeps him happy, busy and quiet, which makes Mommy very happy and that is worth every penny.

Sophie’s deal:

Born in 1961, her success is legendary in France. Made in the French Alps with natural rubber and non-toxic paint, Sophie has been safely cuddled and chewed for over 40 years! She is soft, light, and easy to grasp and fits perfectly into little hands. Sophie is loveable and amusing. She even makes a happy sound when squeezed. Babies especially love her bumpy head to soothe their teething gums.

Just when you thought it couldn’t get any better, the company Vulli also lets us know that Sophie is considered to be educational, and has the ability to stimulate babies senses in the following ways:

Sight: The dark and contrasting spots all over Sophie the Giraffe’s body provide visual stimulation and makes her easily recognizable to baby. She soon becomes a familiar and reassuring object.

Hearing: Her squeaker keeps baby amused, stimulates the ears, and helps to understand the link between cause and effect.

Taste: Sophie the Giraffe is very flexible and has lots of parts for baby to chew (ears, horns, legs). She is perfect for soothing sore gums when teething and is completely safe. Made of 100% natural rubber and food based paint.

Touch: Sophie the Giraffe is perfect for baby’s small hands. She is very light and her long legs and neck are easy for baby to grip. She is very soft to touch, stimulating soothing physiological and emotional responses.

Smell: The singular scent of natural rubber (from Hevea tree) makes Sophie the Giraffe very special and easy for your child to identify amid all his other toys.

Where to find:

Sophie can be found at almost any of your favorite baby retailers, Babies r Us, Chapters Indigo, and most small independent baby stores will carry Sophie and of course there is always online, where she is easy to order.  But watch out!  While only by a few dollars, she does vary in price, from $19 – $26 ($21.99 seems to be most common price), so make sure you find a retailer that sells for the price you are willing to pay.

I have a love-hate relationship with this book.  I’m sorry let me rephrase that, as it’s technically not even a book but a “touch and feel collection of activities” for baby. I’ll start first with the love.

pat the bunny was read to me as a child, and it became one of my all-time favorite books, which brings back warm fuzzy feelings from my past.

I love the concept; a touch and feel book, simple and fresh, with cute vintage illustrations, a pretty color scheme and activities on every page for baby to do.  It keeps baby engaged and teaches basic skills, like how to pat a bunny, play peek-a-boo, look in a mirror, smell flowers, touch daddy’s scratchy face and wave bye bye.

I also like the way pat the bunny is packaged and presented with thick card stock pages, bound with a coil which makes it kind of unique and good for babies as they can chew on it.  The thick pages also make it easier for baby to take part in turning the pages, as Sam loves to do.

pat the bunny is a charming, delightful and refreshing little book. It is positive and encouraging – it shows baby that if the main characters, Paul and Judy can do lots of things, baby can do lots of things too!

But, as an adult reading pat the bunny, I’m reading it in a new light and this is where the hate part comes in (well … I know, I know … hate is a very strong word so I’ll use dislike instead).

Like a lot of baby books and toys, it is super dorky – who are these Paul and Judy characters anyway and why should baby do what they do in the first place?  Let’s teach our children to think for themselves, not be copy cats of Paul and Judy.

Ironically every time we get to the second last page where “Paul can put his finger through Mummy’s Ring, Now YOU put your finger through Mummy’s ring” Sam always cries.  It could be because it is the second last page, one page closer to bedtime and as most Moms know, baby gets cranky when bedtime is nearing.  Or there could be some subliminal, unconscious message in that Sam somehow knows deep down that his own parents aren’t married and there is no ring for him to practice with like Paul does.

Fine, logically I think the first explanation makes more sense, but still … this is only representative of one kind of family, when there are all different kinds out there – Mommy and Mommy, non-married folks, common-law parents, Daddy and Daddy, and single parent families, only to name a few!   It seems to be a little on the narrow-minded side.   Yes, I know, I realize that this book was written in 1940, so what can I expect really?  Most Mommies at that time would have a pretty gold ring, like the Mommy in this book, but still, it’s a little dated.  What would happen if Mommy divorced Daddy and ditched her ring? Just a thought.

The other problem, so I have discovered after giving the book to an eight month old, is that while the card stock and coil binding is cute and unique for those who don’t have a desire to rip it apart, it is not exactly the most durable book for a baby/toddler who likes to experiment and is curious, as the picture to your left demonstrates.  Sam had the book in ruins in about 5 minutes.

Will I still read pat the bunny?  Absolutely!  I will join the other 6 millions reading it to their babies each night, just like it was read to me, over and over again.  I think it’s helping Sam. After all, if Paul and Judy can do basic things like wave bye bye, than so can baby Sam!  And hey, maybe by the time Sam is old enough to understand the book, his own Mommy will have a ring on her finger … that part is to be continued…