Uncle A sent the kids hand-made wool knits in the mail a couple of weeks ago. One of his friends from the "Phantom of the Opera" show on Broadway, Angie, knitted these incredible garments out of a merino wool yarn called Koigu.
The yarn is the perfect wool for kids clothing because it is treated so that it can be washed and dried in the machine. The scales of the fiber are fixed down so that it does not shrink and is not scratchy at all. Even Miss C, who hates most hats, wears it without complaint.
When the yarn is washed, it stretches out and when put in the dryer, it snaps back to the original size. To make the garment larger, you take it out of the washer and let it dry flat. This means the garments can be worn for more than one season. Ingenious!Kudos to Angie for the incomparable craftsmanship, and big hugs and kisses to Uncle A for the thoughtful gifts :-)
I wrote a post a few weeks ago about the Phil & Teds Vibe. The stroller is the more stylish version of their classic in-line (tandem) strollers. Since the twins are only 3 months of age, we didn't start using them until a couple of weeks ago. That's when the troubles began.First, the braking system on the Vibe is much easier to access than the other P&T models. TOO EASY. In fact, all you have to do is lightly run a finger over the red brake button on the center of the handle bar and the whole stroller halts to a stop. Incredibly dangerous on a downhill trip!!! The twins have been jerked forward way too many times for me to count. I may be clumsy, but they just make it way too easy for me to hit that brake by accident.I tried to return the stroller to the store today. First, they couldn't decide whether I could return it or not. Granted, the stroller was purchased in October, but I haven't used it until a couple of weeks ago. They have a satisfaction guarantee--and I'm NOT satisfied. They then tried talking to the P&T distributor, Regal Lager, to get a return authorization. That was denied. The distributor maintains that the breaking system is not a hazard and would not take responsibility for it. Finally, the store manager returned the stroller for store credit. It's a good thing I buy formula and diapers every two weeks. The GIANT store credit can come in handy. They even matched the prices I was getting on Diapers.com. Not a bad save on their part.
As a replacement, I bought the Mountain Buggy Urban Elite--from ANOTHER store. It is a side-by-side stroller--with four 12" wheels-- that can still easily fit through standard doorways. I wish I had researched this stroller earlier, because they offer carry cots/bassinetts to fit onto the stroller frame for the younger babies. For twins, you can either buy two separate cots or one larger twin cot. For a baby and a toddler, you buy just one cot and leave the other seat alone. Since this New Zealand brand just filed for bankruptcy in January, there are great deals to be had. I bought the top of the line model for 40% off retail price. My hope is that someone buys the brand and continues to make accessories and parts for it. We'll see!
Is this the magic potion I have been dreaming about? Since the arrival of the twins, the beagles have not been getting their baths regularly. So during a trip to the Kiehl's store the other day, I picked up the chamomile-infused Spary-n-Play Cleansing Spritz in a desperate attempt to keep the hounds somewhat odor-free.Let me tell you, that is some amazing stuff. You spray it on (generously) massage it into their fur and skin and then wipe it off with a towel. Voila! You have clean and fresh dogs again. Of course this is only a temporary fix between regular baths, but boy is it awesome!
Another amazing Kiehl's product is the Ultimate Strength Hand Salve. Since I am constantly washing my hands and sanitizing bottles, my hands are a dried up mess--my cracked knuckles all have bloody "smiles" on them. Scary. The Kiehl's hand salve not only treats my incredibly dry skin, it also absorbs nicely. No greasy residue and no perfume-y fragrance. The ladies at the nail salon would be proud.
O's old clothes are now being worn by her little sister, C2. Unfortunately, little man C1 doesn't have quite as many options. There's the unisex onesie here and there, but nothing that's worth mentioning.There are some good brands out there that make nice pieces for boys, without making them look like little prepsters. Tea Collection, for example, makes graphic cotton separates that can be mixed and matched. The Daily Tea Collection is perfect for everyday wear and tear.
Another brand is Appaman. The graphic tees and onesies are "street-worthy" and not cutesie. Both brands also offer girl clothes that are sweet and easy to wear.
I have forgotten how foul baby formula is. Since C1 has sensitive stomach (ironically C2 has an iron stomach!), we had to switch from Similac to Earth's Best Organic. Not only is there a price difference (although not so much on Diapers.com), the smells are different as well.With Similac, the twins smelled like...well, baby formula. With EBO, they smell like sour milk...ALL THE TIME! I could bathe them everyday and they still end up smelling like fermented dairy within an hour. Of course it doesn't help that they are spit-up machines!
Today, as Architectdad and I braved the post-holiday shopping crowd and visited the mall, we discovered some alcohol-free fragrances for babies at the Jacadi store. Specially formulated for babies ages 0 to 2, alcohol-free Jacadi eau de senteur for Babies is hypoallergenic to baby’s delicate skin. The smell is light and not at all powdery. We did not buy it this time. But if the stink gets really bad, we may have to try it.
Since we now live in a bigger house, we need a bassinet downstairs for the twins while they are still young and sleepy. My friend V generously lent us her Gentle Motions Cariboo bassinet, which is working wonderfully.The modern design doesn't clash with the furniture and the sturdy construction is strong enough even for two growing chubbies :-) You can even add an optional bassinet changer on top to maximize its utility. The Gentle Motions model also allows you to rock fussy babies to sleep without physically holding them.Best of all, the bassinet fabric can be unzipped quickly and thrown in the washing machine with some OxyClean in case of projectile spit-ups!
O was just reacquainted with her Auntie I during a recent visit. From the UK, auntie brought her some neat toys that are uniquely simple and green as well--each Rubbabu toy is made from natural rubber (coated in a velvety material) that is non-toxic and biodegradable.Look for these squeezably fun toys from Amazon.com and Target.com.
When the yarn is washed, it stretches out and when put in the dryer, it snaps back to the original size. To make the garment larger, you take it out of the washer and let it dry flat. This means the garments can be worn for more than one season. Ingenious!
