Teething Tips.

I've had several people ask about Levi's new "bling" recently, so I thought I might as well write up a blog entry about it. And, then I figured, hey, while I'm at it, I'll do a whole post about teething! I am by no means an expert on the subject matter, but I've gone through this with two babies, so I've got a few tips to share. And, as parents, we can all use all the help with teething babies we can get, yes? I will preface my post with this little gem that I came across.... (Pretty accurate, in my opinion!)

Levi is presently in the throws of Stage 3, and he's not happy about it! As any parent can attest, molars take forever to completely erupt. (We've got two partially erupted as of yesterday!) For weeks now, we've been doing all that we can to relieve the pain and discomfort so that we can all enjoy our days (and sleep at night!). This is a list of the teething remedies that I've tried, and a brief description of each. If you've got any more tips of tricks that worked for your child, I've love to hear them!

Hyland's Teething Tablets
These are, by far, my favorite teething product. I've used them for both boys, and have had success every time. Hyland's Teething Tablets are a homeopathic remedy that relieves the symptoms of teething (swelling, etc). They do not numb anything, and they certainly do not contain benzocaine! If you're interested in the ingredients (and their purposes) or about homeopathy, click here. The only time (for either boy) that teething tablets have not been enough to relieve the pain of teething has been at bedtime when the molars are coming in. We absolutely love Hyland's products, and I would recommend teething tablets to anyone with a baby!


Baltic Amber Necklace
This is the most recent addition to my "teething arsenal", and also the one that I've been most questioned about. Yes, my youngest son is wearing a necklace. It's a beaded necklace made of Baltic Amber, which has been used for centuries as a natural pain reliever. When the amber warms upon skin contact, it releases succinic acid, which reduces pain and inflammation in the body. The necklace is not to be chewed on for teething, but rather just worn against the skin. More information here. Levi's necklace was made specifically for young children, and it is knotted between each bead so that in the event of the necklace breaking, only one bead will fall off to reduce the choking risk. It also has a safety clasp so that it will pop open if pulled hard enough--to reduce to likelihood of strangulation.
Since putting on his amber necklace, we have noticed a significant decrease in night wakings. Also, we are still using teething tablets, but only for bedtime. (Before the necklace, we were administering teething tablets around the clock, and ibuprofen at every bedtime.) The amber necklace hasn't eliminated all of the discomfort of teething, but it has helped dramatically.


Food
Food might seem like the most obvious way to reduce teething pain, but it isn't always such. Often times, babies/young children will refuse to eat when their mouths hurt, so mealtimes can become a challenge. Purees and other smooth foods can be good since they don't require chewing--and are especially welcome when chilled. On the other hand, babies who enjoy chewing to relieve teething pain can take advantage of mealtimes to gnaw uninterrupted. Cold cut-up fruit is a good choice, as are teething biscuits (We like homemade or Earth's Best).


Frozen Fruit Pops & Smoothies
These, obviously, fall under the category of Food, but since they're such a hit around here, I figured they deserved their own blurb. To avoid the high sugar and dye contents of store-bought popsicles, I make my own for the boys. They're easy to make, and much-loved as treats! Best of all, the cold numbs the painful, swollen gums of a teething baby! Since I use 100% fruit, I have no problem at all allowing the boys each a smoothie each morning for breakfast and/or a popsicle every single evening after dinner. My recipe is simple: throw any mixture of fruit into the blender, blend until smooth, and there you've got a smoothie! Pour it into popsicle molds, and freeze, and you've got popsicles! Easy, huh? If I'm feeling really crazy, sometimes I'll add yogurt, almond milk, or peanut butter into the mix. And, a little top secret parent info? You can blend spinach, kale, and/or avocado into ANY smoothie/popsicle mixture, and you CANNOT taste it (kale has a stronger flavor, so be a little more discerning with it!)! Yes, it will turn your smoothie/popsicle a disqusting-looking shade of green or greenish-brown, but it will still taste sweet and fruity--I promise! Some of our favorite flavors: banana/strawberry/yogurt(spinach/avocado), watermelon/blueberry/strawberry, banana/peach(spinach/avocado), banana/peanut butter/yogurt/almond milk (avocado), mixed berry/banana (spinach/kale). The thinner your smoothie (higher water content), the more solid it will freeze. Popsicles are made best with a smoothie that is about the consistency of a milkshake (bananas and yogurt are both good for thickening smoothies/popsicles).


Sophie the Giraffe
Sophie the Giraffe is a teether, plain and simple. We got it when Nate was a baby, and both boys have enjoyed gnawing on it since. I like Sophie more than other teething products for a number of reasons--first and foremost, Sophie is made of natural rubber and decorated with food-grade paint. It is stimulating for babies to explore (visually appealing, lightweight, and squeaky!), and super cute for parents. I've heard Sophie called "a really expensive doggie chew toy marketed to babies", and I will admit I was skeptical at first. But, after having two babies who are huge Sophie fans (Nate more so than Levi), I will say that Sophie is absolutely worth the money! Another benefit of Sophie is that the different shape (a giraffe!) allows babies to chew with the front OR back gums while teething; many conventional teether shapes aren't really conducive to being chewed in the back of the mouth.

Ibuprofen
This is usually my last choice in teething remedies, simply because I like to avoid medication whenever I can. That being said, if either boy is in pain, and I can't help in any other way, I will not hesitate to give them ibuprofen. We always use the dye-free kind; it's still flavored, just a cloudy white color, rather than fire engine red! Obviously, this is the strongest teething remedy on this list, and it has always worked to give my boys the relief that they need to rest peacefully. Sidenote: The reason that we choose Ibuprofen, (rather than Tylenol) is that Tylenol depletes glutathione in the body. Glutathione removes toxins from the body, and therefore, a shortage can make illnesses last longer (not good for anyone, particularly a grumpy teething baby who is putting all sort of germy things in his mouth to chew!).

Calcium
Since calcium is essential for growing teeth, it is recommended that teething babies' calcium intake is high. A calcium supplement works, but we have found that simply boosting calcium intake is effective as well. Obviously, dairy products are good sources of calcium, and so are almond milk, fortified cereal, and molasses. If you're nursing, increasing your own calcium intake will increase your baby's.


Another teething remedy that I've heard works is diluted lavender oil rubbed along the jawline on the outside of the cheek. You can dilute it in coconut oil or olive oil, and rub on every 15 minutes until the pain subsides. I have not used this method, but have heard that it is very effective. If you've tried it, let me know how it worked!

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One teething remedy that I do NOT use is Orajel or any other gel that contains benzocaine. I wrote a blog about the risks of benzocaine here. There are some teething gels on the market that do not use benzocaine (Orajel Naturals uses clove oil, and Hyland's also carries a gel product), and I have used them occasionally. In my experience, the gels are effective, but not for very long--and most babies aren't fond of the numbing effect (but, nor are they fond of the discomfort of teething!).

Life.

Well, once again, I've abandoned this old blog for life. Update? Life here has been busy and full recently. Most importantly, Levi turned 6 months old, and Nate turned two and a half! (Time flies when you're having fun, eh?!)
In other [not so fun] news, I cracked a tooth, and it subsequently became infected. Ouch! I still have no idea when (or on what) I cracked it! Anyway, thanks to a visit to both our dentist and the oral surgeon, all is well now.
Nate is almost fully potty trained during the daytime now (including naptime). He still has some accidents when he's too busy to pause for a potty break, but overall, he's doing very well. I keep telling myself that we'll work on bedtime training soon too, but I just can't get motivated. There's plenty of laundry to keep me busy as it is--without throwing in an extra load of sheets daily!
Levi just popped through tooth #4 this morning, thank goodness! We've had quite a few terrible nights of sleep (or lack thereof!) thanks to this tooth, and I was quite excited to see it appear through that poor swollen gum this morning!
The boys had doctor appointments on Wednesday; they're both healthy and growing like weeds! Nathaniel is now 37 inches tall, and he weighs 32 pounds. Levi is now 28.5 inches tall, and he weighs 19 pounds and 5 ounces. My big boys!
I've got several fun projects going on right now--just enough to keep me busy, but not overwhelmed (yet!). Thanks to Pinterest, planning is so much easier, and my creative juices are a'flowing! I'm still working on my crocheting skills, getting plans/decorations together for a bridal shower, planning Easter activities, collecting new recipes, and trading out all of our chemical-laden household foods/items for more natural alternatives. Those may/may not sound interesting and fun to you, but I've been enjoying them all!
February is almost over, and we're eagerly looking forward to springtime and Easter around here. The cold temperatures have given way to a few warm days here and there, and they've been quite a tease! Nate cannot wait to get outside with his trike on a regular basis, and I can't wait to let Levi play outside. We've got several outdoor projects planned for this year, and we're itchin' to get started on those too!
Hope all is well with you and yours. Happy Friday!

Hey, teeth!

Guess who's got a new tooth? But, wait, guess who's go TWO new teeth! This little guy right here! Tooth #1 popped through the gum two days ago, and #2 followed suit this morning! That's a new tooth every other day in 2013 so far! If he keeps up this rate, he'll have a full set of teeth before we ever even start on pureed foods!! On a positive note, teething has gone fairly smoothly for him. We had a few fussy nights, but nothing that a little extra nursing and some Hyland's teething tablets couldn't help!

Baby Products.

Since I'm getting to the point in this pregnancy that I'm starting to sort Nate's baby things/buy new baby things, I got to thinking about my favorite (and least favorite!) products. This is a list (in no particular order) of my most essential products when Nathaniel was a baby.....we'll see soon enough if Baby #2 follows in his big brother's footsteps (er, crawls?)!

My Favorite Baby Products:

Nosefrida Snotsucker - This product is, hands down, my favorite baby item. It is used to, you guessed it, suck the snot out of a baby's nose! It's easy to use, and way more effective than those little blue bulb suctions that they pass out at the hospital (and those are way better than the store-bought ones!). The Nosefrida is a contraption that actually allows you physically to suck the snot from the baby's nose, meaning that you have lots more control over the suction. There is a filter (and lots of space) between your mouth and those boogers. I can't imagine that many babies really enjoy the snot-removal process, but this is about as painless as it gets. And, I credit this little contraption with teaching my son how to blow his nose himself. Really. I can't express enough how useful this product has been during the last 19 months--especially when Nate has gotten a cold.

Moby Wrap - I loved my Moby Wrap, and I can't wait to use it again! I ordered mine when Nate was probably about a month old, and we used it constantly until he was about 8 months old (he didn't outgrow it, but wanted to stretch out his legs more than the Moby allowed). It was a lifesaver when he wanted to be carried around all day, and I had housework to do. It was also handy for getting out of the house easily with a small baby (to take walks, carry him around the store, etc). If you don't know the benefits of baby-wearing to both parent and child, I can't encourage you enough to read this article! After we stopped using the Moby, I used the Ergo carrier. I liked the Ergo a lot, and I would absolutely recommend it for a larger baby--but nothing beats the Moby for infant carrying!

Lansinoh Lanolin Cream - I stocked up on every nursing "essential" that I could find before Nate was born because I really wasn't sure what to expect. What I found out was simple: the only nursing products I really needed were my breasts and a baby. And, to eliminate embarrassing wet spots while in public, nursing pads (Lansinoh was also my favorite brand of nursing pads because they were the only ones that didn't appear bulky under my clothes.). It was several months before I realized that lanolin cream was a real essential! When Nate started teething, he occasionally bit me when he was finished nursing. It was after the very first tooth popped through that those bites started to HURT. Lansinoh Lanolin Cream was the only product that could provide relief when I was bleeding from that razor-sharp little tooth and needed it to heal up before the next nursing session in only a few hours.

Hyland's Teething Tablets - These teething tablets are an absolute lifesaver for us! When Nate was teething, he was an absolute grump (for good reason!), which, in turn, made me a grump. I gave him Tylenol for the pain/swelling sometimes, but I was uncomfortable using it daily. The teething tablets, on the other hand, I was much more comfortable with because they are a natural, homeopathic remedy. And, truthfully, I think the teething tablets provided faster and longer-lasting relief. If you're interested, you can read my entry here about why I will not use Orajel (or any other product containing Benzocaine).

Snappi Diaper Fasteners - I wasn't sure about this product when I ordered it because I couldn't decide how it worked, but I figured it was worth a shot. I'd been cloth diapering (with prefolds) for a few months, and Nate was getting too wiggly for my old-school diaper pins. The snappi diaper fasteners were a lifesaver! They're easy (and quick!) to use, and eliminated any risk of pin pricks. It's been over a year of daily use, and our snappis are still holding up well. If you're planning to use prefold cloth diapers, Snappis are essential!

Sophie the Giraffe - I bought this toy with much hesitation because it's expensive, and I couldn't justify spending so much money on a simple rubber teething toy. (I only bought it because I had a gift card AND a coupon!) After seeing the way that Nate loved this toy, I would pay full price for another one in a heartbeat (for Baby #2, of course). It was his favorite teether for months, and I never worried about the safety of it. Sophie the Giraffe is made of natural rubber, and colored with food-grade paint. She is very lightweight, squeaks when squeezed, and appeals to babies visually. On top of all that, she is adorable!

Most Overrated Products:

Boppy Pillow - I know that this pillow gets a whole lot of hype for being the most essential baby product, but I never really got much use out of ours. I honestly thought that it was more comfortable to rest Nate on a regular throw pillow when I was nursing/rocking him; the Boppy was just too big and bulky for me.
I will admit that I used the Boppy behind/around Nate when he was learning to sit up fairly often. But, again, as soon as he got some control of his core muscles (when he stopped falling sideways), I just used a regular throw pillow behind him (for falling backwards). Sitting him "in" the Boppy was convenient at first, but as soon as he got more confident in his sitting abilities, he starting wiggling around so that he was out of the Boppy. And, as soon as he'd wiggled out of the Boppy, it was simply a pillow surrounding the hard floor where he would fall back and hit his head. A regular pillow behind him didn't move, and he rarely hit his head that way.

Swaddle Blankets - I received several of these special swaddling blankets (in several different brands) before Nate was born. To me, they looked a bit complicated to use, but I washed them all because I "knew" they were essential. When he was born, I think I used one of them one single time. It was easier for me to simply swaddle him in a regular blanket, especially during the winter months when I wanted to use a fuzzy, warm blanket, rather than the thin cotton swaddlers. I think that the swaddle blankets are good for confining babies who fight their way out of a swaddle, but we never had that problem.

What baby products do you love? What "essential" product did you never use? I'd love to hear your opinions on these (or any other popular) baby products!
All of the above opinions are my own personal opinions/experiences. I was not compensated to write about any of these products.

molars.

Anyone have any helpful hints for a baby who is cutting molars and totally miserable/not sleeping or eating/crying all. the. time? Please....? We would super duper appreciate any creative ideas that might work!

the hiatus.

Holy Moly, it seems as though I've been abandoned the ol' blog for an entire week! Any other week, I would be apologetic and try to post some awesome photos from the past few days, or a story about Nate's latest antic that would make you smile and tell me that it was worth a few blog-less days. This week, I've got nothin' but a few sad, sorry excuses.
Sometime late last week (like right after that last post...), Nate stopped sleeping. I'm pretty sure that he was awake for 48 straight at one point. He didn't nap, and he spent most of his nights crying. More than once, I considered joining him in his tearful wails. After several sleepless nights and a few ear tugs, we made a visit to the pediatrician. And, although I would never wish any pain upon my baby, I secretly hoped that there would be an ear infection solely so that we could get started on an antibiotic and get some rest! When the doctor proclaimed Nate's ears perfectly healthy, my reaction was something like, "YAY no pain or antibiotic!! But, wait, why isn't he slee......zzzzzzzzz!" Hah. Really, I stayed awake (and by "awake", I mean in some sort of dazed trance known only by those who haven't slept in 70+ hours) to hear the doctor's opinion. And, it was brilliant. Nate is teething. Again. Seriously?! He's teething AGAIN?! And, we didn't figure that out ourselves? Cool. So, with the help of some infants' ibuprofen, we've had ourselves two nights of sound sleep now. It's been heavenly. And, I can finally focus on the computer screen well enough to type again!
The other reason that I haven't blogged recently (you know, because being so tired that I have to tape my eyelids open isn't enough to keep me away!) is that my camera is broken. It's not totally gone yet, but I think that we're on our way to a new model. The flash doesn't work anymore, so I can only get decent pictures outdoors when it's light. Otherwise, they turn out like this:

Combine no flash with an almost-10-month-old, and you get a bunch of photos like this:

So, while I'm sure that the barrage of Nate pictures won't be stopping any time soon, it might be slowing down for a bit. And, you'll be seeing lots of outdoor/not-so-close shots in the near future!

Stream of Conciousness.

Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

Ah, yes, another stream of conciousness post, baby! {Also known as "I didn't really have enough to say about one subject to make a post about it, but I have a lot of randomness to share!"}

First, let me explain why I am already writing a post at 9:30 in the morning. Nathaniel is sleeping. No, he's not STILL sleeping; he's already down for a morning nap. Why? Because he woke up at 7:30 this morning. {He usually sleeps until 10ish...} He also was up at 5:40. And, 2:55. And, 1:00. Needless to say, this is one sleepy momma today!
I'm guessing that the reason for our lack of sleep last night was teeth. Nate popped tooth #3 (top left) on Tuesday, and he's working on the top right one now. It was swollen and very tender last night, although a sweet potato smoothie seemed to help for awhile! For a little man who has always been a good sleeper with no teething issues, it's been a rough few days! {I've got my fingers crossed that tooth #4 pops through easily today!}

Eric is on spring break from the college at which he teaches, so it's been nice to have him home early every day this week. We've been taking lots of family walks in the afternoons, which we have been loving. Especially Grover!

Apparently, we live in a squirrel sanctuary... I took this picture from my bedroom window yesterday morning. A few weeks ago, I could see 6 squirrels at the same time from that window. Unfortunately (for you), my camera batteries were dead at the time.

Nathaniel is going to be 7 months tomorrow. I'll post more then, but until then...7 MONTHS ALREADY?!?!?! It's going so quickly...wasn't he just born last week?!

It's been warm-ish outside all week, and we're lovin' it! Spring is coming! And, then sweet summertime!

As crazy about travel as Eric and I are, you may be surprised to learn that the furthest Nathaniel has ever travelled {post-birth} is to visit my grandma (about an hour away). But, not for long--we have a trip to Baltimore planned in a few weeks. And, of course, our annual family trip to Lake Erie is in August. {Nathaniel will be the 4th generation of our family to vacation there, cool, huh?} And, the ever looming temptation to not be responsible with our money, pack up a suitcase, and whisk him off to his first trip to Spain is still around....

After mentioning travel and a {not so} foreign country, I feel that I have to mention Japan. Every time that I turn on the news or log onto MSN, I am stunned by the images of disaster. Around here, we've had floods and wind storms, but NOTHING that even begins to compare to the earthquake and tsunami that Japan recently experienced, topped with a nuclear disaster. My heart breaks when I think of the babies, children, their mothers. The feeling of knowing that your baby was, literally, swept out of your arms by a huge wave of water? Oh, I cannot even begin to imagine what they must be feeling--panic, terror, horror, anguish... Or are they just too numb to feel by now? The devistation is indescribable. But, amidst it all, God is at work. Read this:
http://www.trentonian.com/articles/2011/03/17/news/doc4d810880262f7872203520.txt
Amazing. Despite the death and desolation in that country now, this story just warms my heart. What incredible things God must have in store for that baby girl! Can you even fathom the joy that her mother must be feeling?! Please keep the Japanese people in your prayers.

6 months.

Nathaniel is 6 months old today! 6 MONTHS! That's a whole HALF of a YEAR! I don't feel like we've had him for 6 whole months already--maybe 2, but definitely not 6! I love how big and independent he's getting, but I'm loving that he's still tiny enough to snuggle and smoosh against my body. He's learning so many new things every day, and I couldn't be prouder of my little man! I don't know how much he weighs or how long he is now, but we have a doctor's appointment next Thursday, and I will update afterwards.

Nathaniel likes to read stories--touch & feel books, picture books, soft fabric books, even chapter books when he's sleepy! He loves his baby gym, and he loves to shake rattles (the noisier, the better!). He also loves to chew on and squeak his Sophie the Giraffe toy. He still doesn't like tummy time very much, but he tolerates it (we try to do 30-40 minutes/day). He thinks that Mommy and Daddy are so funny, and he is very ticklish on his tummy and feet! He loves to watch Grover racing through the house. He's been learning to sit up on his own, and can sit for a few seconds alone. He can sit up in the boppy or on someone's lap {supported} for a long time.

Nathaniel laughs and giggles all the time now! He "talks" and squeals and shrieks when he's happy; he rarely cries. When he's excited, he waves his arms and legs around, and makes a funny face. He's getting very good at grabbing things and passing them between his hands. When he's laying on his back, he grabs his toes--especially if he's wearing jammies with animals on the feet!

Nathaniel has two teeth now! His bottom right tooth came in on 2/14, and his left popped through yesterday (2/17). He loves to take baths and splash water everywhere! Recently, he's been waking up once or twice during the night; he eats and immediately goes back to sleep. He still takes several naps during the daytime, although he'll skip them if there's something interesting going on!

We've been having unseasonably warm weather this week, and Nathaniel has been loving going outside for walks. He has not had any stranger anxiety yet, happily going to anybody who has a smile (unless he's very sleepy). He spends the Sunday School hour in the nursery at church every Sunday, where he charms the workers with his own big smile and giggles!

Up until today, Nathaniel has been exclusively breastfed. He has expressed quite an interest in table food when he sees other people eating it. I've allowed him to have a few sips of water from my glass for a few days now, and he loves it!

We started Nathaniel with his first solid food today. He had about a teaspoon of mashed avocado, and he loved it! He wasn't sure what we were doing at first, but when he realized that the spoon was going to his mouth with real food, he was all about it! Although I mixed the avocado with a bit of milk, he didn't seem to really enjoy the flavor. He made this face after every mouthful...

But, despite the silly face, he kept opening his mouth for more, AND he swallowed every drop! I cannot believe that my baby boy is big enough to be eating real food now!

While I'm so glad that Nate is growing and maturing, I am a little sad that I won't be his sole source of nutrition any longer. It might be petty, but I really am so proud that I've exclusively nursed him for 6 whole months (and I don't plan to stop until at least 1 year). He's grown to be such a big boy on his mommy's milk! But, I'll admit, he sure is ready for some real food now!

Happy 6 months, Baby Boy! I love you!!

Valentine.

Happy Valentine's Day! I hope you've had a wonderful day, sharing with all those who you love best!

{This might be my newest favorite picture of my little man! And, notice who he's spending his Valentine's Day with...!}
Eric had to work today, but we celebrated when he got home. We had a yummy dinner, a delicious dessert (recipe coming to the blog soon!), and a quiet night at home. We didn't really want to ask anyone to babysit for us on their Valentine's Day, and I'm so glad that we didn't! I know that Valentine's Day is focused primarily on romantic love, but I had a wonderful time with both of the loves of my life!
What an amazing thing it is to think of all the Valentine's Days that Eric and I have spent together! We've spent them together and apart, with throngs of people at restaurants and alone in front of the television set, and, now best of all, with our very own son. And, while I used to think that each year was better than the last; that we were oh-so-romantic with our roses and candlelit dinners, there is nothing better than this year! I'll take a baby interupting my romantic pizza dinner over any of those other dinners! We are older now, and more comfortable together. We have changed, yet we are still in love--it's not a love that needs to impress or flatter, but a love that can relax together. Sure, we still need "couple time" sometimes, and we'll get a sitter now and then for a date night. But, this love that has grown from a shy invitation to a Friday night football game, to a first kiss, to a New Year's Eve proposal, to a walk down the aisle, to a cherub-cheeked little one--this love is real. And, it is strong. And, it is oh so wonderful!

When we were in high school, Eric and I briefly dated, then broke up because we didn't want to break up later and ruin our friendship. Funny, huh? It wasn't so funny then, and it did ruin our friendship--which, ironically, was not truly restored until we began dating again (almost a year later). Anyway, I still remember Eric telling me that he treasured my friendship and didn't want to lose it. He said, "dating is just like being best friends, except that you get to kiss and hold hands." And, to a point, he was right. While marriage is a bit more than that, it still needs a strong foundation of friendship. We still have that, and I am ever so glad.

Eric, I love you more with each passing day, and I am honored to be your wife! Thank you for everything that you have done/are doing for our family. You are a wonderful husband and father--everything I could ever ask for! I love you! Happy Valentine's Day, Darling!

Ironically, Nathaniel had more Valentines than either Eric or I did! And, he got his very own little stuffed "Grover" from Nana. He also celebrated in his own way by popping his very first tooth through this afternoon. What a big boy!

Good buy.

We did a bit of family shopping today. Not just boring old food shopping (although there was a little of that too), but fun shopping! As I've mentioned, Nathaniel has started teething recently. He's been drooling all over, chewing on everything, and has his fingers permanently popped in his mouth.
In my online search for a relief for my little one's mouth, I came across loads of products, from regular old Orajel (ever tried the stuff? it burns!) to newfangled teething tablets (give my almost-6-month-old a pill? no thanks...). I found people who swore that nursing a baby relieved the pain (sure, it worked when he was hungry...and after that, I became the teether--which may or may not have relieved his pain, but it sure didn't help mine!), and I came across lots of ideas of things to let babies chew (damp washcloths, popsicles, vibrating teethers, my knuckle, etc). We tried them all (except the popsicle), and the frozen washcloth was his favorite. But, it still wasn't totally ideal because it made his clothes wet, and I had to continuously rotate it when he chewed a warm spot. Time and time again, I came across rave reviews for the Sophie the Giraffe toy{http://www.sophiegiraffeusa.com}. Supposedly, babies and parents alike love them! They're cute and made of all natural products. They're light and easy for babies to handle. They're stimulating for all of the baby's senses....and they're $20 apiece! I love my baby, but a $20 teething toy sounds like a bit much, right? Right.
Then my local toy store sent us a 20% off coupon. And, I found a gift card in my purse that still had $10.46 on it. So, off we went in search of a Sophie the Giraffe! When we found it, I still wasn't entirely convinced that this would be the miracle toy that everyone seemed to believe. And, even now that Nathaniel has been in possession of his Sophie for a few hours, I'm not totally sold on the price. But, he does love it! He's been happily gnawing on her since I got it out of the packaging in the car. She's light and so perfect for his little hands. She squeaks easily (he can't make any of his other toys squeak yet), and, apparently, feels wonderful on his sore gums! She is made of all natural rubber {and food-grade paint}, so she's a little stinky, but that is supposed to be one of the qualities that babies love about her (Nate doesn't seem to mind at all)! My only complaint so far, is that Grover seems very interested in Nate's new squeaky toy. And, while Grover has never eaten any of Nate's toys to date, I will not be very happy if he starts with the $20 teether!

I also picked up a new coat for Nathaniel today. Winter clothes are finally being shifted to the clearance racks to make way for Easter outfits. I dug through racks of little boy pajamas and mittens before I came across a darling little winter coat. It's thick and wooly with a fleece lining--and it was on sale for $6.50! A little big now, but I've a feeling that he'll fill it out better next winter!

And, as usual, I spent the day with my cutie riding around in the shopping cart, a camera in my purse--and forgot to take a picture! He is so stinkin' cute riding in the cart!! Maybe I'll remember to take a picture by the time he fits into that coat! Hope you all are having a lovely weekend...