(Anthea in the Ergo at the beach. This was the first time I used it without the infant insert.)
In case you don’t remember, I was really quite ill-prepared for having a second baby. We didn’t get a room done, didn’t buy hardly any clothing (didn’t know the gender and I had saved 95% of Rosemary’s stuff), didn’t buy much in the way of new baby gear. So, I thought I’d update to let you know what kinds of things we are using. What’s been helpful, and what’s been not so helpful.
Helpful:
**Our double stroller, the iCandy Pear Tandem (upgrade from iCandy Apple Jogger). I had some issues getting this sorted before the baby arrived (perhaps a summation of my last-minute baby-panic?) But we are currently rocking this with the Maxi Cosi CabrioFix car seat (which I don’t think you can get anymore, at least not the version we bought in 2010). I was initially thinking a double stroller would be too cumbersome to haul around. Well, it is larger than it was as a single. But has been invaluable. I take the girls to the park, on walks, library, malls, playgrounds, etc. Rosemary doesn’t always want to stay in the stroller, of course, but I couldn’t do it without some way to keep them both secure when I have them out by myself.
**Our car seat (Maxi Cosi CabrioFix), which snaps in and out of the car using the Maxi Cosi base. It’s super convenient. However, I wish the car seat had a five-point harness instead of a three-point. It’s legal and has great safety ratings, and this all still holds true from when we bought it. But the nurse mentioned something about it only being a three-point harness when we left the hospital with day-old Anthea, and it’s kind of jarred me ever since. But, it’s served us great so far.
**Baby swing. We never had one with Rosemary. I borrowed this Graco one from a friend when Anthea’s reflux was getting in the way of her napping. It’s been great to have. Unfortunately that friend is moving and we have to give it back in two weeks! Anthea still naps in it occasionally, but not as much as she used to. I’m debating whether we should buy one of our own.
**BabyBjorn Babysitter Balance. We bought this when Rosemary was brand new, and it’s been super handy. Actually, Rosemary still sits in it and bounces it INSANELY hard. It’s built incredibly well to withstand the abuse. Anthea likes sitting in it, it has various reclining capabilities, doesn’t take batteries, folds up flat, and is easy to clean. Bottom line: it’s great to have somewhere safe to set a baby.
**Ergo and BabyBjorn carriers. Anthea wasn’t nuts about any sort of carrier, but it’s sort of a necessity to have my hands free when Rosemary is at baby gymnastics needing help on the trampoline and Anthea is simultaneously awake wanting me. I really tried hard with the Moby, but it didn’t work. We had both of these carriers with Rosemary and used them to an extent. This time around, we got the infant insert for the Ergo (which Anthea disliked muchly). I took it out a few weeks ago, since she’s so tall, and she’s much more comfortable in the Ergo. She really prefers the BabyBjorn so she can face outward, though. While carriers are great in theory, I really wish my babies liked them more.
That’s about it in terms of gear. Honestly, I don’t use much, but it still feels like I am lugging SO MUCH around. I am currently using a Skip Hop Duo Deluxe Double diaper bag. It is huge. Like a duffle bag or something. It’s really too large for my everyday needs, but I haven’t found anything better.
I also feel like a bit of a slacker in terms of pumping and bottles and such. I got a Lanisoh manual pump, and it is AWESOME. Though I’ve pumped a bit of milk that’s in the freezer, it’s not much, and we have only tried to give Anthea a bottle once. It wasn’t tolerated well. However, I’d definitely recommend this pump.
Anthea is sleeping in an Ikea Gulliver Crib that we bought for Rosemary’s nursery when we lived in England. It’s next to our bed, right now. So…we haven’t completed her room yet, but I will do separate posts on both Rosemary and Anthea’s rooms when they’re complete.
If you made it to the end of this post, go you! You are well on your way to having two children under the age of two. :) In all seriousness, I hope this has been in some way helpful to someone. Please feel free to email or comment with any questions.
