Memories of Mara

We went to Mercer’s Cafe the other day. We love Mercer’s! I will always remember it, especially, since it’s the place we went to celebrate on Sunday, November 18, 2007, the day we found out I was pregnant with Micah. It’s a great little local breakfast cafe, one we both enjoy! Daniel loves the coffee. I love the atmosphere.

This particular day was not special. Just wanted a good breakfast without having to cook, since our house is still in boxes and we have two small children.

We walked in–Mara, first, as a guy held the door for her. She was really booking it! She knew where she was going, and the guy holding the door gave her this look of surprise as she ran past him. We barely sat down, when a waitress walked by. Mara whirled around in her seat and shouted, “WAH-wah!” [water]

We looked at our 20-month-old daughter in amazement, and I said, “Mara, say ‘please’!”

I guess she always hears us order water from the waitress after we sit down, and she didn’t see any need to wait around!

Of course, she wanted to pray after we ordered our food and it didn’t come right away! She holds out both hands (we hold hands when we pray), then bows her head and says “Oy, oy, oy, oy” in a hushed tone.

Then she’s making friends with the cops that are sitting next to us, and the two older ladies behind us.? There’s not a shy bone in her body!

. . .

Tonight was so incredibly special. I don’t even think I can express it adequately. It was the first time Mara seemed to do something for something else, at her own expense.

The glider rocker is in Micah’s room, so before Mara goes to bed, I take her in Micah’s room to rock her and sing to her. Unfortunately, Micah cries (SCREAMS!) for several hours–usually right at Mara’s bedtime. So while I’m singing soft bedtime songs, Micah is screaming at the top of his lungs in the cradle next to us. Mara was tired. She was leaning on my chest, sucking her thumb. But after one or two songs, she sat straight up and said intently, “Min-uh! Min-uh!” [Micah! Micah!]

Then “THL-loor! THL-loor!” [Floor is one of her new favorite words, and this time she was asking to get down on the floor.]

So I let her get down and she stood by the cradle, saying, “Min-uh! Min-uh! Min-uh, nur!” [nurse] She was very intense, nodding her head and squinting her eyes, as if desperately hoping I would understand. She wanted to get down on the “thloor” so Micah could nurse. She knows that makes him quiet . . . My heart really melted, and I just looked at her for a couple of seconds. I couldn’t believe she was sacrificing her own time with me, for Micah! Then she started making the “fish” face, demonstrating “nursing,” in case I didn’t understand!

I picked up Micah, sat back down, and let him nurse, and that calmed him down right away.

“Min-uh! Min-uh! Nur!” She beamed a huge smile . . . I want to always remember.

My Review of Baby Trend New Diaper Champ

Originally submitted at Toys R Us

The new Diaper Champ, has a new design but many of the familiar features that made this one of the best diaper pails. Features are: the convenient odor-free way to dispose of diapers, Accepts both cloth and disposable diapers, Uses any plastic bags, no special cartridges, The 1-hand flip handle mak…

Satisfied mother of 2 Under 2

By 2Under2 on 8/25/2008
4out of 5

Pros: Economical, Easily Cleaned, Convenient

Best Uses: Overnight, Diaper Changing

Describe Yourself: Parent of Two or More Children

Buying the Diaper Champ will save you money in the long run, because you won’t have to purchase special “refill” bags.
I laugh when I read all the comments about the smells, diapers getting stuck, etc. We are rating something that holds DIRTY DIAPERS, 24-7!! So think about it: when you open it, if you haven’t emptied it for a week, you ARE going to smell a week’s worth of dirty diapers! And if it’s full, the diapers ARE going to get stuck in the top!
So my recommendations: Empty it frequently. Take it out to the back porch when you empty it. Spray with disinfectant/room deodorizer and air it out for several hours outside every time you empty it. Wash it out periodically.
This from a satisfied mother of two under two, who uses a LOT of diapers.

(legalese)

My Review of Fisher-Price Rainforest Bath Center

Originally submitted at Toys R Us

The Fisher-Price Rainforest Bath Center brings a comfortable bath time experience to both baby and mom in 3 stages of use: Newborn, Infant, and Older Infant/Toddler in a very fresh translucent tub. A wonderful bolstered soft sling with separate head support cradles newborns for mom, then detaches …

Bathtub grows with your baby

By 2Under2 on 8/25/2008
5out of 5

Pros: Leakproof, Dries Quickly, Lightweight

Cons: Bulky

Best Uses: Infants, Bathing, Preemies, Toddlers, Washing

Describe Yourself: Parent of Two or More Children

Sink baths didn’t really work well–the baby was too big, the faucet was in the way–so I decided to go the route of a baby bathtub. After a regrettable incident involving water leaking all over our kitchen with our 1st bathtub (which was supposed to “fold for easy storage”), I decided to return that one, and look at reviews before picking the next one out. I have not been disappointed with this bath center!
I have a 20-month-old girl and a 3-month-old preemie boy. My daughter used this tub for about 9 months, until she was crawling well. I expect that my son will get a lot of use out of it as well.
The sling/hammock works great with preemies and smaller newborns; it is machine washable, so I try to wash it frequently to keep it from becoming musty since I use it several times/week. Once the baby’s umbilical cord fell off, I used the sling on one end of the tub to keep his/her head from falling to the side and keep his body/her from sliding around. After a few months, when the babies are getting bigger and starting to sit up, they do tend to slip up over that hump in the middle of the tub, but at that point, they can move over to the bigger side. I use the “toys” to pour water over the baby’s head when washing their hair.
My daughter loved to splash and play in it! My son enjoys his baths, which is saying something!
It is bulky–requires that you have some place to store it, which is a challenge in the small city rowhomes. 🙂 (You can store it in your bathtub, like another reviewer mentioned.)
I don’t consider a baby bathtub in the absolutely “must-have” category. That said, if you are getting one, this is the one you want to get!

(legalese)

My Review of Fisher-Price Baby Gymtastics Deluxe Jumperoo

Originally submitted at Toys R Us

Encourages and rewards baby’s jumping with music & lights in a safe freestanding platform. Gymtastics fun ball and theme complement the line of toys. Side colorful panels of familiar Gymtastics characters make it fun for baby.

Gift to MOM and to baby

By 2Under2 from on 8/25/2008
5out of 5

Pros: Holds Baby’s Attention, Easy to Assemble, Easy to Clean, Promotes Sensory Development, Entertaining, Visually Stimulating, Good Padding

Cons: Bulky

Best Uses: Infants, Mommy’s Time, Playtime

Describe Yourself: Parent of Two or More Children

Buying this jumperoo is a gift to mom as much as to baby! We all know the most precious commodity we have after baby’s birth is TIME! This jumperoo keeps baby happily occupied for hours, freeing mom to do the things mom wondered if she could ever do again!
For several months, my daughter giggled and jumped every day! Despite being used so often, the jumperoo is still in great condition. Still looks and performs as if it were brand new! The fabric seat is removable and can be machine washed. I’m saving the jumperoo for my infant son to use in a couple of months.
Worth every dime!

(legalese)

My Review of Carter’s 3 Pack Drool Bibs – Pink

Originally submitted at Toys R Us

Protect your baby’s clothing with this Carter’s Keep-Me-Clean Bibs 3-Pack. With 3 different designs in pink, brown, and white, you’ll have one for every meal! The first has the text “Too cute to eat my veggies.” A second has elephants, and the third features colorful hearts…

The Only Bib for the Spitter or Dribbler

By 2Under2 from on 8/25/2008
5out of 5

Pros: Compact, Absorbent, Waterproof, Durable, Portable

Cons: White oneshard to clean

Best Uses: Meals, Infants, Crawlers, Preemies

Describe Yourself: Parent of Two or More Children

Your darling little girl is a spitter–or a dribbler. Let’s face it: what infant isn’t? In your quest to keep from changing her clothes–and yours–with every feeding, you need a bib that is absorbent and waterproof!
You would think ‘Isn’t that what a bib does?’ . . . You would think! But not necessarily. Manufacturers sell products left and right labeled “bibs” that are neither absorbent nor waterproof. I can’t tell you how many times my childrens’ clothes have absorbed their dribble underneath their suedo-bibs. But it doesn’t have to be that way!
Enter Carter’s Keep-Me-Clean/Dribble-Happy waterproof bibs! They are designed to do what you would think a bib should do!
Register for a couple packs of these. After I started using them, I found our other (non-waterproof, non-absorbent) “bibs” never left the closet.

(legalese)