The Bittersweet End of an Era

Spencer's nursing journey, over 4 years

Having nursed Sasha during Spencer's labor, which brought his birth on fast...
Having nursed him through his stay in the NICU...
and the slow cutting of those first sharp teeth at 12 months...
Having nursed him through his diagnosis of having a hyperactive thyroid...
as well as his Celiac diagnosis and resulting diet change for us both...
Having nursed him even while he explored new foods, through medical procedures and to help calm him after surgeries...

I nursed Spencer for 4 years. When he wakes up tomorrow, he will be 4 years old. And officially weaned. The last time he nursed was after his dental surgery earlier this month (seen in recovery in the bottom right photo). I knew it was coming, but I've been second guessing myself. He had dropped down to only asking for "Momma Milk" every few days. I was so glad to have it for him when he woke from surgery. I'm admittedly fearful of how we'll manage the next surgery sometime down the road. Spencer is my last child, so this is all behind me now. I nursed for a total of 10 years, tandem nursing for one of those!

2 month old Sasha at my breast, swaddled

As a mother, I done good. I was feeling ready. But now that it's done, I don't feel so ready anymore. This is the bittersweet end of an era for me...

Autonomy of a Tickle

The topic of tickling has come up among friends recently and I'd like to get back into the swing of writing, so...

This piece was originally published as a guest post on Tales of the Kitchen Witch in December 2012.

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When I was a preteen, I remember my brother tickling me to the point of crying. I'd be yelling for him to stop, begging him to stop. He would point out that I was laughing, so I must be enjoying it. I do not ever want my children (or anyone, for that matter) to be put in that position.

Babies can't even tell you they don't want to be tickled. But they are so much fun to tickle! There has to be a way to respect our babies' autonomy and still (possibly) enjoy a good tickle, right? There is! I have some suggestions for you.

The most important trick to any tickle game with a baby is anticipation. If you can give them a chance to anticipate (and to learn when to anticipate) the tickle, you give them the opportunity to object.

With Sasha, I would make tickle hands and chant "Gonna, gonna, gonna" (think Jaws music) as I got closer, then "Get you!" as I tickled her.

Sasha would also run away and back to me for more tickles.
Also? OMG Look at that chub!! I do love to fatten up my babies!

Here comes the next important tip: Short bursts of tickling. I would never tickle a child to breathlessness. It can be fun for both the tickler and the child, sure, but I want to make sure children are capable of communicating "stop" to me when they feel it necessary. It can be difficult and awkward to enforce this with other people tickling your child (even older siblings), but I really feel it is an important lesson. If any child says "stop" - that should be heard and respected. I think of this helping to prepare them for other sticky situations later in life.

Back to fun tickling! With Spencer, I hold up my thumbs and index fingers like pincers. I tap thumb and forefinger while making a "tick" sound. I do that a few times before diving my fingers to him and saying "tickle, tickle, tickle!" as I tickle him. Three "tickles" is probably long enough for one burst in the beginning. As he has gotten older (he is a ripe, old 10 months old now, after all!), he reacts to the preparation. When I hold my fingers up and make the sound, he often giggles preemptively! This lets me know that he enjoys the game!

Love to nibble your babies? Oh, I do! I love to nibble around their little, fat, ticklish necks! Find a way to help your babies anticipate the nibble. I open my mouth wide and snap it shut while making an "Om!" noise. I do this a few times before I "Nom, nom, nom!" on them. (This munching is also awesome on ribs, especially on babies that are upside down!) This is one that will surely elicit preemptive giggles if it is a game your child enjoys.

I'm sure you're familiar with This Little Piggy and Pat-a-cake, pat-a-cake, baker's man. Both of these nursery rhymes are great build-up to tickle play. They offer other learning benefits, too.

How did you feel about being tickled as a child? How do you feel about it now? Do you play tickle games with your children?

Feeling Needed

Welcome to the May 2014 Carnival of Natural Parenting: Ages and Stages

This post was written for inclusion in the monthly Carnival of Natural Parenting hosted by Hobo Mama and Code Name: Mama. This month our participants have talked about their children’s most rewarding and most challenging developmental periods. Please read to the end to find a list of links to the other carnival participants.

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Years ago I came to terms with a label: Attention Whore. You know what? It totally fits me. I love to have brightly colored hair, wear crazy hairstyles (or shaved head), even to dress different from the trends! My favorite kid stage? Baby! As a baby, my children need me more than at any other time of their lives. And their needs are simple. I don't have to help them work through the emotional baggage of school bullies. I don't have to help them through helping a friend that self harms. A baby needs... to eliminate waste, refill the tank, rest and attention. Easy.

Day 1 with Dreadlocks

That said, I also love the study of Early Childhood Development. I find it fascinating. I love watching the world trough the eyes of a young child, who couldn't and wouldn't hide the wonder they feel. There are so many milestones in the first couple of years! My youngest (and last) is now nearly 2½ years old. I am so screwed. But I am working to find the joy in the everyday parenting of 15, 4 and 2 year old children. There is still some wonder left, even in the teenager.

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Visit Hobo Mama and Code Name: Mama to find out how you can participate in the next Carnival of Natural Parenting!

Please take time to read the submissions by the other carnival participants:

• When Three-Year-Olds Stand Up For Themselves — Parenting Expert Laurie Hollman, Ph.D. at her blog, Parental Intelligence, enjoys the stage when three-year-olds dramatically wow their parents with their strong sense of self.
• This too shall pass — In the beginning, everything seems so overwhelming. Amanda at My Life in a Nutshell looks at the stages of the first 1.5 years of her daughter's life and explains how nothing is ever static and everything changes - the good and the bad.
• Age 5 – Is It Really A Golden Period? — Jennifer at Hybrid Rasta Mama looks at the developmental norms for the five-year-old set and muses over if this age really is the 'golden period.'
• How much do you explain to your preschooler when crime touches close to home? — When tragedy strikes someone your preschooler knows, Nathalie at Kampuchea Crossings wonders how parents can best help young children cope.
• Thoughts on Toddlerwearing — That Mama Gretchen's babywearing days are over, we're living it up in the toddlerwearing days now!
• Parenting Challenges—Almost a man — Survivor at Surviving Mexico talks about leaving childhood behind as her son turns 12.
• How Child Development Works — Competence Builds Competences — Debbie at Equipped Family shares how each stage of childhood builds on the next. Focus on doing the current stage reasonably well and success will breed success!

• Making Space — Kellie at Our Mindful Life is adjusting her thinking and making room for her babies to stay near her.
• The Best Parenting Resources for Parents of Toddlers — Toddlers can be so challenging. Not only are they learning how to exert their independence, but they simply do not have the developmental ability to be calm and logical when they are frustrated. It's the nature of the beast. I mean … the toddler. Here are Dionna at Code Name: Mama's favorite books and articles about parenting a toddler.
• The Fab Five Stages so Far — Laura from Pug in the Kitchen couldn't choose just one stage for this carnival and is sharing her top five favorite stages in the young lives of her son and daughter at Natural Parents Network.
• The best parts of ages 0-6 — Lauren at Hobo Mama gives a breakdown of what to expect and what to cherish in each year.
• Lessons from Parenting a Three-Year-Old — Ana and Niko at Panda & Ananaso are quickly approaching the end of an era — toddlerhood. She shares some of her thoughts on the last two years and some tips on parenting through a time rife with change.
• Feeling Needed — Jorje of Momma Jorje ponders which developmental stage is her favorite and why. She bares it for us, seemingly without fear of judgment. You might be surprised by her answer!

Sasha's Birth Story

In celebration of Sasha's 3rd birthday, I'm finally sharing her birth story here:

On Tuesday morning, we got up at 3:30 AM for Elmo's Monday of work. I stayed up, though I usually sleep while he is gone. I took a half hour nap before our doctor appointment at 11:30. Sasha was healthy and the doctor stripped my membranes again. It was obvious none of us really expected it to work this time, since it did nothing the week before. We made an appointment to have my water broken at the hospital at 7 PM on Wednesday. We went on about our day. There was no increase in contraction strength, no bloody show, nothing all day.

My last belly shot - taken the evening before Sasha was born.

Can You Spare $1 To Help Baby Sean?

On June 10th 2012, Baby Sean was born. He is truly a miracle baby and both he and his family need our help.

A fellow blogger with the Natural Parents Network shared Baby Sean’s incredible story with us and asked if we could reach out to our friends and fans. Jennifer of Hybrid Rasta Mama is hoping to raise $1,000 over the next several days to help both baby Sean and his family as they face the lofty challenges in front of them.

Please take a moment and read a little about Baby Sean’s journey and needs as shared by Jennifer.

From 2001 until June 2011, I was fortunate enough to have five of the most caring, uplifting, generous and supportive people caring for my grandmother who suffered from dementia. This family literally fell into our lives and because of their selflessness, my grandmother lived 94 wonderful years. Without the care and support she received, I doubt that my daughter would have had the opportunity to spend two years with a great-grandmother who loved her, even when she did not have a clue who she was.

Caroline was my grandmother’s main caretaker but her entire family (husband Tony and their three young children) did everything that my family could not. They bathed her, they cleaned up her bathroom accidents, they fed her nourishing foods, they told her stories, they took her to concerts, they took her camping, they took her to family events, and the list goes on. They lived with her 24 hours per day, 7 days per week with no time off. They embraced her and together, they become an expanded family.

After my grandmother passed away in June 2011, I not only mourned her death but I mourned the loss of my extended family. Although I knew we would keep in touch, it would still be different.

Fast forward to the end of May 2012. Caroline had been experiencing a headache that defied words. She decided to go to the hospital, knowing that something serious was going on. A short while after her arrival, she learned that she was 26 weeks pregnant and in a major health crisis. That headache was the result of preeclampsia and gestational diabetes. Both Caroline and her unborn baby were in serious trouble.

Caroline was put on hospital bed rest where a fabulous team of doctors and nurses did all they could to keep Caroline’s baby where he should be…in his warm, watery womb. Unfortunately, Caroline’s placenta was too thick, her baby was not getting nourishment, and his life was in danger. After his heart kept stopping, Caroline underwent an emergency C-section to save both her baby’s life as well as hers.  

15 days after walking into the hospital for a headache, Caroline gave birth to a 1 pound 10 ounce baby boy she and her husband named Sean Feleti Jeremiah Mokofisi.

Baby Sean is a miracle. He is a fighter. And he has a long road ahead of him. However, Baby Sean is already breathing well on his own, a miracle and something pretty rare for a baby only 28 weeks gestational age. He has had some significant health challenges since his birth but has fought through them with the help of a wonderful and talented team of doctors.

Baby Sean is not able to be held or breastfeed but Caroline is pumping milk and the hospital has been very supportive of her through this. They are also open to supplementing with donor milk, knowing how crucial breastmilk is to a premature baby.

Caroline has had some health challenges as she recovers from not only the C-section but the preeclampsia and gestational diabetes. However, she is expected to be released from the hospital soon. Baby Sean is not so fortunate. His stay will be quite lengthy.

This is where YOU come in.

Caroline and her family were already at a financial disadvantage before this incredible journey began. They work hard, they are generous people – giving to those even less fortunate than they are. They give everything they have to care for their children and give them the best life possible. But the economic cards have been stacked against them and the financial impact of such a lengthy and complex hospital stay for both Caroline and Baby Sean will be devastating to them.

Once Caroline is released from the hospital, she will have to travel 45 minutes each direction to see her baby daily. The cost of gasoline is going to make this near impossible. On top of that, Caroline needs to begin preparing for Baby Sean’s arrival home and literally does not have the resources to purchase the most basic of baby supplies let alone some of the special supplies a premature baby with Sean’s health needs might require.

Today we are reaching out to you. Could you donate $1 – just ONE DOLLAR – to help Baby Sean? Your donation will go towards clothes, cloth diapers, a car seat, and other premature baby essentials. In addition, it will help this beautiful family make the daily trip to bond with and bring breastmilk to their precious son.

If you aren’t able to donate, perhaps you know someone who could. In lieu of a donation, we are asking for help in spreading the word.

We know that in these tough economic times, it is difficult to know when to give and what cause deserves our hard earned dollar. This baby needs our help now! Imagine if this was your baby and all you needed was a little financial cushion so you could start your baby’s life out right?

Caroline, Tony, their entire family and Baby Sean are already deeply grateful, humbled, and moved to tears by the mere fact that we are raising funds to assist them in their greatest hour of need. So thank you for your help. It literally will make a world of difference in this family and child’s lives.

HOW TO HELP

To donate to the Help Baby Sean fund, please click the DONATE button below. You will be taken to Paypal where you can donate even if you do not have a Paypal account.

If you prefer, you can purchase a copy of Jennifer’s eBook, Coconut Oil For Your Skin, for $9.95. This increased price will be in effect June 20th and 21st and all sales from those days will go directly to the Help Baby Sean fund. Click the BUY IT NOW coconut below to purchase the eBook.

Together, we WILL be able to help Baby Sean and his family get off to the best start possible. Again, thank you and many, many blessings for your generosity!

EC - Head Start on Potty Training

I've seen it said often that children with Down syndrome potty train at a much later age than other children. When we found out that our son had Ds, this was one thing I researched. I wondered if anyone with a child with DS had ever used Elimination Communication and whether it could work to shorten that time.

I definitely found some early mentions of using EC with children with DS and found the information encouraging. I'm not sure why I was worried, as if there would be some reason I shouldn't do it.

a fluffy secret

During Spencer's NICU stay, his temperature was checked under his arm, regularly. One or two of my favorite nurses helped me learn to check it, too. The babies have to have at least a ____° temperature before you are allowed to take them out of their warming bed.

Sometimes we had to check Spencer's temperature 4-5 times before getting a high enough reading. These nurses often blamed this on Spencer's "fluff." I just thought they were referring to his fat. Being full term (38 weeks, really), he was definitely one of the biggest babies in the NICU! He weighed 8 pounds, 2.5 ounces at birth.

Finally, one of the nurses explained something to me that I hadn't read in any book or on any website. Babies with Down syndrome are fluffy. Spencer actually has very thin limbs, compared to my other babies. But he has these fat pockets in his armpits. They make it harder to locate his "core" for checking his temperature. These fat pockets feel... less dense than what you normally find on babies.

Look at those irresistibly fluffy cheeks!

This "fluffiness" also applies to Spencer's fat baby cheeks. Kissing them, you can feel the difference. His cheeks are softer than other babies! He is... fluffier! The extra tissue on his neck feels the same.

This tissue seems to shift / sag more than denser tissue, too. This is really only noticeable on his cheeks.

I simply can not kiss his fluffy little cheeks enough! I just thought I'd share this possibly little-known aspect of babies with Down syndrome. They are wonderfully fluffy! And you thought you loved average baby fat...

Spencer's Health

Spencer had his 2 month well child check up today. He is 11½ pounds already, which has him in the 90th percentile for size (on the Down syndrome growth chart)! His head circumference is 38cm, keeping him at a proper curve just above the 50th percentile. he has grown to 23 inches tall! This is also well within the normal curve.

Monday Minimalist: Baby Registries - Infant Care II

All we really need to bathe our babies is a creek, right? Ha! Baby stores disagree.

Baby Care / Grooming

They use the term "baby care" loosely, don't they?

• Nail Clippers - Yep, you're gonna want them. Unless, of course, you prefer to chew your baby's nails down. It is actually a common practice, I'm told.
  
• Brush & Comb - Really? You don't even know if your baby will have hair yet. And really, a wet wash cloth works fine.
  
• Digital Thermometer - You might check with the hospital first. The hospital gave me a digital thermometer the last two times I had babies.
  
• Ear Thermometer - Why would you need both of these? I actually did get a fancy thermometer. Just research and see which you would prefer. I was fine with the freebie digital thermometer for Sasha, but with Spencer's increased risk of getting sick (and some other factors), I wanted something better.
  
  
  
  
  
• First Aid Kit - I don't specifically have one, but most first aid kits I've seen include bandages and ointment. There are some things that are good to have in case of emergency, so you could either register for a good kit or put one together yourself / register for the individual items.
  

Monday Minimalist: Baby Registries - Infant Care I

We're finally in the last of the categories. Infant Care includes several subcategories, though. Lets see how many we can cram into one Monday...

Nursing / Feeding

• Breast Pump - This might not be a necessity for you, especially if you're not going back to work. I'd probably recommend at least getting a hand pump in case you need it. If you want a nice electric pump, definitely register for it! Good ones are expensive.
  

Monday Minimalist: Baby Registries - Clothing

Scroll to the bottom to catch a link to a Monday Minimalist post on another blog!

Today we're looking at Clothing. Now this is more truly a "must have," especially if you're having a Winter baby! Otherwise, by all means, feel free to leave your baby naked! You might think that registering for lots of clothes will help you avoid receiving clothes you hate, but forget it. You will receive a horrible outfit or two.

Naked Baby Sasha - 3 months old

How did you get that size?

Welcome to the first Family Size Blog Carnival!

This post was written for inclusion in the Family Size Blog Carnival hosted by Kerry at City Kids Homeschooling and Patti at Jazzy Mama. Today our participants share their decisions on family size and whether or not to grow their families. Please read to the end to find a list of links to the other carnival participants.

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Most (3 out of 4) of my family growth spurts were... by chance? I wouldn't call them "accidents." I got knocked up at 16 years old. I gave her up (to my mother) within the first year.

17yo me, sharing a bite with my firstborn

I later married. I had been married for 5 years when we conceived "Daddy's little booboo." He loved to say that "I was pokin' fun. I didn't know she was gonna take me seriously!" And then there was "You practice long enough, eventually you're bound to get it right!" I'd had baby fever for awhile, so I was thrilled to be pregnant, even though it was unplanned. Though to the bitter end, my ex-husband insisted I got pregnant on purpose. Not true.

Monday Minimalist: Baby Registries - Toys

We're getting there! Today we're going to look at Toys (including books and music) / Gifts (keepsakes). I find it amusing that there is a "Gifts" section in the gift registry... aren't they all meant to be gifts?

Crib & Activity Toys

For starters, I don't use a crib. And even if I did, why would you want toys for a designated sleep area? As for the other toys, your baby won't need or be able to play with toys for awhile. Even so, you might want just a few things for later.

I did not Birth a Syndrome

As Spencer was born, placed on my belly, and then taken across the room to be checked over, my husband and I were both watching and checking for obvious Down syndrome markers. We knew there would be some and we were fine with that. We just hoped they wouldn't be overly obvious. I discussed the possible physical characteristics in my first Down Syndrome Awareness Month post.

When they took him across the room, Elmo quietly told me he hadn't noticed any traits. I had. I noticed that he has the flatter nose bridge. I also noticed his eyes have a slight upward slant, often referred to as "almond eyes." And I also noticed loose folds of skin on the back of his neck.

Most of all though, I know we saw our son. I thought it was super sweet that my husband had overlooked these things. He hadn't seen them at all! And let me tell you, he generally has a keen eye for these kinds of details!

Monday Minimalist: Baby Registries - Baby Gear III

I know, I know... there is a LOT of baby stuff out there, right?! This is the fifth installment of my Monday Minimalist series about registering for your Baby Shower gifts. Today will be the last of the "Baby Gear" section.

Sasha sleeping in Play Yard Cradle
November 2009

Spencer's Birth Story

Welcome to the first edition of the Authentic Parenting Blog Carnival, hosted by Authentic Parenting and Mudpiemama!

In the month of January, we start afresh, a new year, new ideas. Hence, our participants have looked into the topic of “Birth and New Beginnings.” Take a look at the end of this post to find a list of links to the entries of the other participants.

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I had a lot of contractions in my final trimester. They came often and they were hard. Because of this, our doctor had said that Spencer might (safely) arrive as early as 36-37 weeks. That'll make a family anxious! We were open to having Spencer any time as Giftmas approached. Then we hoped to wait a week. Our doctor was on vacation from December 25^th - 30^th.

At 11 o'clock on December 25^th (11:04 actually, if I recall correctly), I decided I'd better go tell Ronni (13yo) to get to bed. Sasha (2yo) was still up with me. As I walked to the other end of the house, I noticed I was wet... really wet. I went to the bathroom to check myself and found some slight tinge of pink.

I got very shaky. I called my Jenni (my doula) and explained what was going on, including feeling like I was having a major adrenaline rush from the excitement of it. She reassured me that the shaking was normal anyway, but that we should get to the hospital. I didn't feel a need to rush, but I woke Elmo and we started getting ready. He carried the numerous bags out to the truck. We (Sasha, Elmo and I) were loaded up into the truck by 11:30. I called Jenni again to let her know we were on our way. Ronni was staying up at home, waiting for updates.

Monday Minimalist: Baby Registries - Baby Gear II

Welcome back to the fourth installment of my Monday Minimalist series about registering for your Baby Shower gifts. Last week I brought you just part of the "Baby Gear" category. I'll dig through more of it today.

Strollers

This subcategory is broken down into Travel system, Traditional stroller, Lightweight stroller, All-terrain jogger/stroller, and Double stroller. I certainly don't think they're suggesting you need each of these. We have had several hand-me-down strollers and just keep the nicest one. Even then, we don't use one very often at all, especially since I have so many slings / carriers. I don't like the detachment of using a stroller and am certain we'd manage just fine without one. Even when we take one with us somewhere, we wind up carrying Sasha or letting her walk and then using the stroller for other stuff.

OMG those cheeks!
7mo Sasha in her Stroller

Monday Minimalist: Baby Registries - Baby Gear

Welcome back to the fourth installment of my Monday Minimalist series about registering for your Baby Shower gifts. Last week I went over Safety needs. Today we'll go over "Baby Gear," but doesn't that cover everything? According to the "Must Have" list I'm using for reference, this category includes several subcategories:

Car Seats

Unless you're a committed pedestrian / non-driver, this is (of course) an absolute MUST HAVE. In fact, hospitals here in the US won't let you take your baby home at all without one. This category is split into infant car seats, convertible car seats, and booster car seats. You do not need all of these right now!

Sasha in a convertible car seat... in a closet!
We used to have 2 vehicles. We have since given this extra car seat away.

Mamatography - Week 1!

This is to be my first Mamatography post of the year! I may change the layout along the way, please bare with me. I plan to use my Mamatography project as my Wordless Wordful Wednesday format for the year, but wrote yesterday's post a month in advance! I hope you enjoy the project, please feel free to hop on board any time!

My Mamatography posts won't always be this long, but this was an eventful week!

January 1

I rang in the New Year with my new Little Man,
trying to keep him warm.

Monday Minimalist: Baby Registries - Safety

Welcome back to this, the third in my Monday Minimalist series about registering for your Baby Shower gifts. Last week I went over Diapers, Formula, and Diapering Accessories. In today's post, we're going to cover your Safety needs.

Safety

I'd like to preface this by saying that your baby is not going to arrive home mobile. There are some items that you can certainly get piece by piece as you need them. Of course getting them as shower gifts saves you the cost. I'd almost suggest waiting to see what kind of mobility and desires / curiosities your child has as he/she grows. We found that we were able to use furniture in most cases. We even used a play yard as a baby gate for a while.

• Monitors - The latest in high tech gear. If you decide you want to use one, be sure to research them. There are some video monitors that have been known to broadcast the live footage and people could pick it up from outside your home. How's that for safety? Even (or perhaps especially) in our two floor condo we had at the time, simply kept Sasha in the same room with us. If she slept while we were downstairs, she was downstairs. She went up to the bedroom when WE went up to the bedroom. Yes, we occasionally went more than 10 feet from her, but we just listened for her and made sure not to have any noisemakers going that would drown her out.
  
• Cabinet & Door Latches - This, too, depends on your home and your child. Once Sasha got old enough to venture into our kitchen, I simply kept safe items down low. She had open access to pots and pans. She loved to climb into our kitchen cabinets. Drawers have never been an issue.
  
• Safety Gates - you won't need one of these for a while. When you do, though, consider your home. Do you have stairs? You definitely need to be able to secure them! We just found other things that worked in our home for keeping our child secured. Even now, though, our roommate considers getting a safety gate to keep our 2yo out of the kitchen.
  
• Outlet Covers - These are cheap. You could totally register for them as a low end item to have available for people, but you are sure to afford this item at any point anyway. These are cheap and easy enough that you could go ahead and start putting them into place early so you don't have to worry about it later.
  
• Travel Mirror - This is a safety item? Yes, it is convenient to be able to see your child in their car seat behind you, but... I don't consider this a must have. It was a luxury for us. Once I did get a travel mirror, my daughter insisted on playing with it constantly, so I rarely got to actually use it myself!
  
• Corner & Edge Guards - You may want to rethink some of your furniture anyway. If you have a glass coffee table... yeah, maybe its time to change that. We only had minor use for these and never actually got them. Look around your home and decide what you need.
  
• Smoke & Carbon Monoxide Alarm - Um... I totally see the point here, but I've never had a carbon monoxide alarm, I don't think. I rent and use the smoke alarms that are already in place. This would be a very personal decision, but I can see how it is a "must have."
  

I hope you are enjoying this series and finding it useful when deciding what you need or want for your expanding family. I'm providing my own opinions on the items listed, but these are just what worked for me. I also hope you'll come back for more categories in the series.

The next category in the series will be Baby Gear, but that will be broken down into subcategories including Car Seats, Car Seat Cushioning, and Car Seat Accessories.

What safety item do you feel you need in your home?

Let me know if you have a Monday Minimalist post and I'll share it on my blog.

Click the icon to grab the button for your MM posts or for details on how to join the movement.