A Million Words

Photographer Anita Maya. Love her. She's amazing. Isn't my one-year-old son just dreamy?

Thwack!

As a former high school soccer player, I love the feel of the Oball. It's easy to juggle, and then there's the satisfying sound it makes as it hits the garage door again and again. Lightweight, colorful, and good for all ages. I just saw them at Target, although they only had the smaller size (4.5" diameter) and not the larger (7.5" diameter). Happy thwacking!

Happy walls

On a whim this weekend, we finally started putting up these wall decals we bought for Ronan's room almost a year ago. They look fantastic! I'm so thrilled with how easy they were to apply (well, and also thrilled because my husband actually did the applying). We used the regular ones, so you can remove them easily, but not re-stick them.

They really look like they're painted on, and I love the sense of color and whimsy they add to the room. We also put some on his closet doors.

And yes, that's a Delta frequent flyer card JP is using to smooth them on. It was issued to Ronan when he was one. We declined the American Express card, however!

A most excellent stroller

The Phil and Ted's E3 is a single jogging-type stroller, but you can hook a second seat on. The maneuverability is unbelievable; there's never a worry about whether you'll fit through the door. The combined weight limit for the two seats is 88 lbs., but luckily the air-filled rubber tires make pushing fairly effortless.

The downsides: price (although I imagine the resale value is pretty good), lack of storage space (we sprung for the panniers, which you can see in the photo), and the possibility that the kid in the back will want to touch the spinning tires of death. People often comment that Beatrix, seated in the back, can't see anything, but she has plenty to see out the sides. At any rate, she's never complained!

In addition, if your kids are really close in age, I probably wouldn't recommend the E3. I'd check out the Mountain Buggy Urban Double, or something similar. The beauty of the E3 for us is that it's a great single, with the capacity to be a pretty amazing double.

A box of books

This box of miniature board books makes a great baby shower gift. They are perfectly sized for little hands, and I'm partial to the illustration style.

My daughter often brings them to me to read. While my son isn't much of a reader, he has used them for a variety of stacking and sorting games.

The "X" installment includes "xenops," which is apparently a kind of bird. Huh.

This set is published by Chronicle and available on Amazon.

Lovey?

To the left you'll see a pile of rejected lovies. I don't know why I've always wanted my kids to adopt a special comfort item. I think I'm probably projecting my own desire -- how lovely to have one special, cozy, snuggly item that makes you feel better!

On the flip side, you have the risk of loss or damage. I still remember the family vacation when my younger brother's yellow quilted blanket was lost forever.

But still I persist. Here's the latest attempt. Baby Jayne's is owned by an acquaintance of mine, and this blanket is scrumptious. If Bea ends up discarding it, it's destined to become my lovey!

Because every baby needs a going-out bib

My kids are both messy eaters. Probably because I let them self-feed from the get-go. And they both were born with full heads of hair, so bibs that tie are not an option. I love these bibs from Lilypad Baby. Reversible, cute, and super-durable.

I am a wee bit disappointed, though, because they used to offer personalization. And really, is there anything that makes a momma happier than to see her new baby's name on an adorable retro print bib?

Still a great gift option. Also note that the choices for boys are just as cute as the girl options. Hallelujah for us mommas of boys!

Mousie

Mousie was purchased for my daughter's first Christmas. She was seven months old. Who knew that my three-year-old son would completely claim this as his own? Mousie is solid, which is a good thing, because he's had to endure countless crashes, rescues, and meetings with Buzz Lightyear and Lightning McQueen. His car emits a pleasing squeak when you push it up and down, and a bell on the front twirls as Mousie races along.

Even the under-one set can get Mousie in and out of his vehicle. Made in Germany, I purchased this from Oompa.