Stroller #2

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It should not come as a surprise that I am one of those stroller-obsessed Mommies. I have been reading up on strollers now for days on end, and lurking on Craigslist for months to try and find a deal on one that I like. We already have a stroller, it is the Safety 1st Evolution travel system from Sears which we purchased without fully investigating all the options - it was on sale, it was 3-wheeled, has pneumatic wheels, comes with an infant car seat, and Linds liked it. I had spent most of my research time on infant car seats, and the Graco Snugride was best ranked for safety. But after seeing the Graco products in person, I was turned off by its cheap look and feel materials. At the time I was also determined to not have to spend an arm and a leg on a stroller,

It was only after using the stroller and doing more research that I realized the huge and confusing range of options - for example, I could have purchased the Snugride and used it with a Peg Perego stroller. Also that even the "Snugride" has various models with better fabrics (and thus a higher price tag). There is no "perfect" stroller, and I might need to purchase several to suit different functions.

The Evolution, I found, is great for almost everything and there are many things I like about it - it is easy to push with one or both hands, handles very well, has an easy one-pedal push brake, and also has a hand brake. It is not even that heavy, but, it folds up kind of wide which makes it a bit difficult for little me (at five-foot-almost-nothing) to place in and out of the car. The bad things about this are the fabric used isn't that great, and when the stroller folds up, one of the stroller bars is too close to the hood and scratches it up.


And so I have been drooling over all the higher end models available - the ones I have been most interested in are from Peg Perego, Bebecar, Bugaboo, and Quinny. I decided I wanted another stroller with these features:

• -Reversible toddler seat - that the baby can sit facing you or away from you.


• -Must be lighter than my Evolution.


• -Must handle well.
  
• -Must have decent suspension so that the ride is good for baby.


• -Easy to fold.


• -Must fold up smaller than my Evolution.


• -Buying used, must be less that 4 years old and very good condition.

Bebecar is too heavy, and the Bugaboo and Quinny are both too expensive and not reversible. I ended up buying a lovely red Peg Perego A3 Pramette (purchased off a Craiglister). It doesn't have a reversible toddler seat, but what sold me was its weight - I think it's only 18 lbs! It can also be set up as a pram that faces you. The stroller was in excellent condition - the owners had barely used it, in fact I don't think they ever used it as a pram. Bonuses were a huge basket below and cup holders. The perfect model may have been the Peg Perego Venezia which has a reversible toddler seat and a pram, but I never got to check one out and it may not have been as light as the A3.


Yesterday morning for our morning walk we took the stroller for a spin! It was great for Connor to be able to lie flat in his cute little Winnie the Pooh bunting bag - see pics below.

What would I purchase if I could do it again?

1. Save enough Airmiles to get the Peg Perego Pliko Switch Completo (4500 miles, or 3700 miles + $149.99; $539.99 at Crocodile Baby) - this is the 2008 model that has a reversible seat. It is a beautiful stroller with plush seats. The seat can recline to almost flat. It comes fully accessorized, complete with cover, zipper hood and zipper rain canopy. It is supposed to weigh 19 lbs, but when I checked it out in person it seemed a bit heavy. Would still need to purchase a car seat to use with this, probably a Peg Perego Viaggio SIP ($299.99) which is very plush and better materials than those used by the Graco Snugride.
   
2. Save enough Airmiles to get the Peg Perego Pliko 3 Classico (3700 miles; $399.99 at TJ's Kids). This is like the Switch Completo but without the reversible seat. Would still need to purchase a car seat to use with this.
   
3. If I wanted to splurge even more, I'd consider the German-made I'coo Targo ($699.99). I tested it out - it is reversible, includes a pram, not too heavy, it pushes like a dream and the materials are gorgeous. I had thought this came with a car seat but looking at a few websites now it doesn't appear to include a car seat.
   
4. If I not splurging, I'd buy a new Peg Perego Viaggio SIP carseat to use with a used Peg Perego stroller (a style that is reversible with a pram).
   
5. Don't worry about a jogging stroller for now (unless you are really into jogging regularly).
   
   

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Connor with Gung Gung... and thoughts on the screaming cries

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Yesterday Gung-Gung finally dared to hold Connor on his lap! (His right arm is non-functional) Here are the smiling pair!



Connor's screeching cries have me somewhat worried that it is a sign of a developmental disorder. His screeching cries are ear-piercing and Connor writhes his body as if in pain.

So today I read up some on autism - I thought of this disorder because my ex-husband's sister had an autistic child (the last I heard from them this was the initial diagnosis so I could be mistaken), and I recall that she used to say her baby would scream as if bloody murder. My cousin on my Mom's side also has an autistic son.

There happened to be an article in this month's Today's Parent magazine that I subscribe to, and it referenced the Autism Speaks site. It is alarming that, according to the site, 1 out of 150 children are diagnosed with autism; and 1 in 94 are boys with the autism spectrum. There is also thought to be a genetic link to having the disorder. From what I read there, such as learning the signs of autism, Connor has so far hit the milestones that he should, such as babbling by 12 months. So Connor has none of the listed symptoms, everything in his development seems normal. However it is far too early in Connor's life to diagnose this if it is the cause or not.

I did a search for "baby screams loudly", read several articles/threads and did not find any writers linking a screaming, crying baby to any disorder. So this has put my mind more at ease.

This evening Connor was screaming/crying again while we were with Po Po and even Po Po was worried that something was physically wrong with Connor. However I was able to calm and soothe him, and found that he wanted more food (his previous feed had been interrupted).

I think the fact that I am able to calm him and soothe him during these episodes means that he really is just overtired or hungry, or going through growing pains, ie. a growth spurt; I think he is due for his next growth spurt now.

Boy, I sure did not prepare myself for all this worrying as a new Mommy, although how could one prepare for that anyway?

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Decorating with BLIK

... I had bought these BLIK decorations before Connor was born and I finally got around to putting them up today. It's a great product, super easy to use - just peel and stick! And they are removable (but not reusable).

If I had known we were having a boy I may have opted for the cool video game images. Maybe we can do that for when he's older.

I bought this BLIK package online at Home Depot for about $36. Here's a pic of Connor's decorated wall.

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Teeth? And a major sleeping progress!

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I touched Connor's top and bottom gums, and the top gums definitely feel less soft than the bottom ones. Also the top gums look more defined - here is a photo, what do you think?

Also yesterday marked a MAJOR sleeping development for Connor: he fell asleep for nap during the day by himself in his co-sleeper! He was doing a fussy crying but not the crazy screaming cry. So I decided to put him down. He would cry with his eyes closed for a minute or two, then stop and gnawed at his hand, then cried another minute, or two then gnawed, and I watched this about 3 times and decided to leave the room. A few minutes after that the crying had stopped and he was asleep!

And just now at 9:30 AM, we were back from our walk earlier and Connor usually wants to go back to sleep. He was crying for a while and I was able to sooth him to stop crying; then I lay him down on his co-sleeper while he was still awake and left the room. I heard him cry about 5 minutes later, but then he stopped crying. It is now 10:00 AM, and I just checked, yes he is asleep!

So this whole sleeping exercise took a bit longer than the 3 days that the Baby Whisperer said it would - I started this process around Sept. 24, so it's almost been one month. But we are definitely making progress!

Note though... Connor is still sleeping in our bed at night. That is another hurdle we still need to go through. Whoops and now Connor is crying again - I think I woke him up by checking in on him :(

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Maybe my first tooth is coming?

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Po Po says it looks like I am teething in my top front gums. Mommy just checked online and read from a couple of sources that it is possible for a wee three-month baby like me to start getting a first tooth in!

Maybe that's why for the past two weeks I've drooled so much and also really enjoy sucking on my hands. Sometimes I prefer the hands to nursing - can I be so smart that I am actually soothing my gums on my hands rather than on Mommy?

So it looks like Mommy should start cleaning my gums again, then. She had started doing that a few weeks ago - rubbing my gums with a cloth - but fell off that routine. Because we walk at 8 AM three days a week with Mommy's friend Amie and her dog Mocha, we don't have a good morning wake-up routine yet since Mommy and I both like to sleep (lazy!) and don't usually get out of bed until 7:30 AM for those walks. Here's a link to a list of other tooth care tips: http://www.parents.com/baby/health/teething/baby-tooth-care-tips/

Here's a pic of me today in my 'Baby Bum' outfit.

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I'm a little monster

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It's official, I'm a little monster! At the fitness class yesterday, although I was a good baby most of the class (sleeping through the first 40 minutes), I did scream quite loudly (louder than any other baby there) and unrelentingly when I woke up. Apparently this was enough for the instructor, nice as she is, to come by and refer to me as a little monster!

Gee, all I wanted was some attention. I guess I got it...

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It was only a cold

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Last Thursday my throat started to hurt, and I was feeling a little bit run down. I was afraid I had the flu - several friends have had it already - so I decided to skip the Mommy and Baby fitness class that day and take it easy, since we had company arriving the next day to stay with us through the weekend.

I started researching on how dangerous it may be for baby to catch the flu. I read articles indicating that baby cannot catch the flu through breast milk, which I actually did not even think of. If baby does catch the flu, as your body fights off the flu you are producing antibodies that will help your baby get well faster than baby would on his own. That was a relief.

Also if baby's sinuses get so plugged up that he has trouble breathing, you will need a bulb syringe to help clear it up. Last night Connor actually sounded like he could not breath through his nose while breastfeeding, so I tried using the syringe I had - which seemed like such a cheap syringe, it was part of a grooming package from Safety 1st. I have no idea if it actually worked, however Connor did seem to be able to breath afterwards. I haven't yet checked to see if that syringe can even be taken apart for washing...

I totally forgot, however, to check on what meds I can take for a cold or flu. I did take a few doses of Robitussen this weekend, because I had a dry cough, and I did not want to wake up baby with a loud cough. I did have a faint recollection of my doctor telling me that Robitussen was okay during my pregnancy, and anything that was safe while pregnant is safe for breastfeeding. I just checked a few sites now, for example on kellymom.com and Dr. Sears' site, and I think I am safe.

I feel much better now, I think it was only a cold, thank goodness.

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More relatives!

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I am such a lucky baby - I have so many grandparents! Grandpa Steve and Grandma Debra came to visit me over Thanksgiving weekend, along with Auntie Emily and Auntie Molly. They live in Arizona. I received more presents, yay! A book, a teether from Auntie Emily, and a handmade blanket and bibs from Grandma Debra.

We had a big turkey meal on the Sunday night before Thanksgiving that Grandma Debra made, and we also had lots of veggies. On Thanksgiving we had a feast of curry goat that Grandpa Steve made, and Mommy also cooked up curried chickpeas with paneer (Indian cheese), gai lan (Grandpa Steve's new favourite green - it's a Chinese vegetable), and of course lots of leftover turkey!

Mommy is always the last to finish - she says she feels like a pig since she's eating more than every one else all the time. Well, she is feeding the two of us! They say she needs an extra 500 calories to keep up the breast feeding.

I tried my best to be good while they were here, but it was very tiring indeed and most evenings I needed Mommy to take me to bed by 8:00pm.

I am glad they got to visit, and I made sure Grandma Debra had a chance to change one or two of my diapers.

With Grandpa Steve and Grandma Debra,
stuffing my face with my hands.

Auntie Emily took care of me
while Mommy made us some food.

Auntie Molly, they said I
was flirting with her.

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I can hold a chopstick!

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At dinner today Po Po handed me one chopstick and I waved that stick around for a little while, it was fun, it's the first time I held anything all by myself!

Every day I seem to be a little more aware of the world around me. I really enjoy sitting on Mommy or Daddy's lap and watching whatever they are watching or doing, like eating dinner, watching TV, or Daddy's computer. I still like my mobiles, too, and talking to them. My neck strength is getting better too, before you know it I'll be able to hold it up very very well!

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Interest in the teddy mobile

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Today marks 2 Months, 22 days of interrupted sleep.

To my surprise, today Connor was very engaged with the teddy mobile that came with his playpen, the one we have downstairs at Po Po's place that Uncle Andrew and Auntie Cindy bought Connor. I was surprised because from what I've read, babies are supposed to be most interested in high contrast coloured things - so you will see very colourful mobiles from "developmental" toy makers like Tiny Love and Baby Einstein, in bright primary colours or black and white.

See Connor here cooing at the mobile... saying "hi"...

Yesterday Po Po took care of Connor while I ran an errand. Po Po put Connor in the Mei Tai and then vacuumed the house and washed the dishes!! Thank goodness for Po Po!

Here she is with Connor in the Mei Tai...

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No pacifier required

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So Mommy thinks she has my crying and sleeping habits figured out? Ha ha not quite yet, I don't think so! That bit about falling to sleep by myself was just that one time for now! I made her hold and rock me to sleep the rest of the morning. I also like to have light patting on my bum-bum to fall asleep. When she puts me down in my co-sleeper she tries to trick me by holding me all the way down into the sleeper and keeping her face next to my face, or putting her hand on my chest and patting me. OK sometimes this works but most of the time it doesn't :D

Mommy did remind me over the past two days on how to suck on my hand - so no pacifier required! (She didn't let me use a pacifier until my 4th week because she was afraid I would forget how to nurse. So now I can't keep a pacifier in my mouth, I need someone to hold it there for me.) Here's a little video of me sucking on my fingers today.

She tried to get me to pose for shots again on the weekend. Here are a few of them - guess I wasn't too happy about it...

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I just put Connor down for his nap and as usual his eyes opened again. However I decided to leave him be this time, and he cried a bit - his new, fake, not-really-crying-cry - but he eventually did fall asleep! This is definitely a breakthrough!!

We started noticing his fake cry about a week ago. This cry is a quieter one than his real cry, and is not accompanied by tears (He only started having tears about 2 or 3 weeks ago. It sure breaks my heart to see the real tears!). About two days ago I noticed that with these fake cries, it will stop after about 5 minutes and he will be quiet... and then he'll fake cry again, and stop again, until he gets what he wants.

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Building the emergency milk supply

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I made the effort this morning, before Connor awoke, to pump specifically for freezing. I managed 4 oz., which I separated into two 2 oz. bags. I will try to do the same tomorrow morning to build up a supply. I also received my free sample of Enfamil in the mail today, so that's a small start to an emergency supply of formula. To get a free sample you just enroll on their website.

We still have not been able to get into a bedtime routine. Connor was a bit fussy at bedtime last night; maybe I've been letting him sleep too much during the day? This baby sleep thing sure is a challenge - something that prior to having a baby, you'd never think it would be so difficult! I need to do more reading on this.

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Emergency preparedness for baby

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As if we didn't have enough excitement in our lives. Yesterday a technician came to the house to look at our furnace and to vacuum the vents. He told us our furnace had a leak on one of the parts and that the furnace was unsafe to use. My cousin Kenny was visiting at the time and he said to call the gas company as they could send a technician out to verify there is a leak.

I called Terasen Gas today and they classified this as a priority gas leak and recommended that we open all the windows and doors, not turn on or off and electricity, and to leave the house until the technician arrives. This was around 5:30 PM. Linds had just gotten home at 5 PM and my mother was beginning to prepare dinner for us. We all reluctantly and slowly made our way outside. My mom started bringing out chairs and then a table and some food! What a big production. Luckily, the Terasen Gas technician arrived in about 45 minutes, and his assessment was that we do have a minor leak and that we should definitely change the part in question, but it was still safe to use the furnace.

The whole event got me thinking again about emergency preparedness for baby Connor. As long as he is with me he will have breast milk, but what if I'm not there? Maybe I should buy some infant formula for emergencies, as well as creating a frozen supply of breast milk (which I had been meaning to do but still have not yet gotten around to it). Also a supply of diapers, baby clothes and blankets in the car.

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