But not this time.
No pictures again of baby B, that stinker.
New belly development: sometimes the middle goes concave and it looks super weird. Those boys are messing with me.
2nd new belly development: braxton hicks! No pain, just odd tightness.
New(ish) pregnancy symptom: drooling. I know, it's like I'm six years old. But once I lay down, after just 5 minutes, there's a trickle. My mouth could be glued shut and I would still find a way to drool. Ugh.
2nd new pregnancy symptom: swelling, ever so slightly. But it's just enough that I can't wear my wedding ring anymore. So I wear Sean's old CTR ring. Sigh, I guess it's a good second place.
QUESTIONS!
A) Swings vs. bouncers? I've asked around and it seems pretty evenly split on babies enjoying one over the other. What should I do, buy one of each? Which did your babies like?
B) Any diaper brand preferences? Do you swear by one certain kind or just avoid the cheap-o stuff? How about wipes, while we're at it?
C part 1) NOT a baby question. Do any of you have any favorite home decor/interior design websites? Now that we might have a new home to decorate, I need some inspiration!
C part 2) Does anyone know of places to buy decently priced big area rugs? We're gonna need a couple but I don't want to spend a boatload!
Come to my rescue!
I would go with a bouncer over a swing, but get both if you can. I used the bouncer like a chair before Gabie could sit up. I'd just put him in it and he could be right beside us while we ate dinner. I don't know what we would have done without a bouncer!
ReplyDeleteI like Luvs, they're cheaper than Huggies and Pampers but I think work just the same. But if you buy diapers at Costco (in bulk), I'm fairly certain they don't carry Luvs. Stay away from Parents Choice! The PC wipes are okay though.
Hope that helps! I can't wait to see pics of the boys!
Dennis Rodman's ;) I LOVE that you used the word 'wonky'!! I've had people ask me what it means, weirdos.
ReplyDeleteI don't remember if I drooled but there's a lot I don't remember about being pregnant (Thank you, lost brain cells). Swelling sucks, I'm sorry.
Hazel LOVED her swing (we had the Graco Swing 'n Bounce and it was so useful). We would wrap her up like a burrito, stick her in and she was out like a light. Lucy didn't care for the swinging but enjoyed the vibrating seat. My vote would be one of each.
I'm a fan of Pampers. They have enough room for a full night's deposit. At first though, I don't think there's any diaper that can prevent a blow-out. Huggies are OK, I used them at first with Hazel. But once she was crawling and walking they were too bulky. Someone gave us WalMart brand and I did not like them. For wipes, I use store brand.
I don't have any websites but we've gotten several decent rugs at Ikea. The first was cream and Lucy was a barf-er (as you know), I don't really know what I was thinking. It held up well under all of the scrubbings.
Could this comment get any longer?
So, you may be sick of my opinion, but too bad. You asked. :)
ReplyDeleteFirst off, yay for someone else having braxton hicks contractions! I had them for 3 solid months...up to a couple dozen a day on random occasions the last month! I think my uterus and bladder were in cahoots b/c I always got contractions when I had to go to the bathroom really bad, which was often.
Diapers: pampers swaddlers for the first month. Then Costco brand or Huggies (also available at costco) after that. If you don't have a Costco membership, get one! You'll make up for the membership just in diapers. Swaddlers kept the blow-outs in the best bar-none.
Wipes: NOT pampers. Too dry. Huggies have been great but I'm about to try costco's brand b/c there's a coupon. :)
Bouncer vs Swing: we have 2 bouncers and 3 swings (all given to us as gifts/hand-me-downs). I use one of the bouncers 99 out of a 100 times. The swings seem to swing to fast/wide. It always made me nervous when he was so little. But maybe I'll use it more as he's bigger. There were a few times though the swing got him to sleep when I couldn't that first month or two. SO...get one of each, since you're having twins! (or come to Utah a take some off my hands b/c hopefully I won't be having quintuplets ever).
The 3D ultrasounds are amazing! SOOO much better than the good ole 2Ds. I really love the drooling thing...I have never heard of that and since it's not me it's happening to, it's sounds hilarious :-).
ReplyDeleteBaby opinions...
None of my kiddos really cared for the swing and I LOVED my bouncer thing. With Preston someone gave me their old Boppy one and it was wonderful because it was so reclined I could use it right away (mine was a fisherprice kick n play, which I liked, but it sat a newborn up too much to use it until they had good head control). Some babies do love swings though, so I would for sure get at least one seat...you seriously use them all the time, if you need to do anything while they're awake you can strap them in right by you and they are easy to move around between rooms...and borrow a swing from a friend to see if they like them before investing in one. I imagine with 2 babies you will definitely need a safe place to keep them, or at least one of them, while you are changing the other's diaper, etc.
On the subject of diapers...there IS a difference between the cheapos and the namebrands! (Especially when they are little and prone to poop explosions!) I was Pampers through and through with the girls, but now that I am a couponer, I use a lot more Huggies just because there are more coupons and sales on them. Huggies have been revamped since Ella was a baby though and really are softer and nicer than they used to be. For newborns though I still prefer Pampers Swaddlers. They just seem the most cloth like for their delicate skin and have the little belly-button cutouts and everything. Both brands have little codes on the insides of the packages that you enter on their respective sites to accrue points that you can redeem for different things. I imagine with 2 you can rack up some points pretty quickly. Huggies is new to this game, but I have cashed in Pampers points for giftcards to get myself clothes :-). I really like Huggies wipes the best. They seem thick and soft and I feel like I don't have to use as many of them. Amazon had a great deal on Pampers wipes awhile back so I pretty much stocked up a year's supply and they are fine, but if I had the choice I like Huggies better.
I don't have any home sites I like, but when you are looking for cheap things to fill a purpose until you can get something you really love, Garden Ridge is a good place to look. They have lots of ugly things, but you can find some decent items for good prices there too.
I can't wait to see your little guys out of the womb!
I would say bouncer over swing because you get the same effect with less money and you can move the bouncers to wherever you are in the house. For diapers, I like Huggies, but I think it's only because they're the only ones I've ever used. And we use the cheap generic wipes because they don't bother her. As far as decorating goes, I've got nothin:)
ReplyDeleteWe don't have a swing and we do have a bouncer... mostly because we didn't have the space for a swing and someone gave us a bouncer! I think one of each would have been nice. And you're going to have two babies, so it would be nice to have two safe places to set them (aside from the floor or their bed).
ReplyDeleteI drooled too. Totally gross, and totally embarrassing.
Diapers - Leila was one to blow out pretty often (like... 1-2 times a day for several months) and for us Huggies Supreme (little snugglers) were the only ones that sort of held everything in. They have a little pocket thing in the back that helps catch runaway mess! We tried so many different kinds, too. I think it just depends on your kid.
I also felt like Pampers wipes were way too dry. I like Huggies.
Often you can get samples of different kinds of diapers... I think we got a Pampers sample when we registered at Target, and several Huggies samples through Walmart I think. We didn't register there but you can sign up online to have them mail you one.
Oh, and Home Goods is great for decorating stuff. They are owned by the same company as TJMaxx and it's pretty much the same thing, just with housewares instead of clothes. I think they have one down there. I've also seen rugs I like at Target but I can't attest to the quality. And we got a rug at Home Depot or something and it's great but not very soft.
ReplyDeleteI want an area rug too! They are SO expensive. We found some at Target that aren't too bad, but I don't know if I love them. Anyway, I like Pampers brand diapers. But I use Huggies and Luvs too and haven't had any problems until he starts outgrowing them, then he'll leak out of them.
ReplyDeleteHow is the house buying moving along? I really want to see it!
Haha!! I totally drooled too! Actually...still do and I promise I did not (at least not this much or this consistently!) before my pregnancy. Weird. I'm glad I'm not the only one!
ReplyDeleteWe wondered the same thing about the bouncer vs. swing. We went ahead and got the bouncer because it is more portable--can have it downstairs while we are eating and then I can easily bring it upstairs when I need to shower or get things done upstairs. Of course if we had both I wouldn't have to carry anything back and forth at all, but I wanted to just do one and give it a trial run. So far it is perfect for what we need. I figure- the bouncer is cheaper and if that doesn't satisfy our little girl we will get a swing later.
I haven't tried very many diapers yet, but I would not recommend Pampers after your babies are 3 days old-ish unless you don't mind having to change their clothes every time they go potty. Pampers are built to fit a box, not a little bum. We haven't used any cheap brands yet. I would just buy small packs of cheapos to test them out and see how their skin handles it.
Try Ross or TJ Maxx for rugs.
Bouncer AND swing! My kids loved both, and both with a preference for the swing. But bouncers are convenient, and afterall, you're gonna have TWO!
ReplyDeletePampers at first, then switch to Huggies.
Huggies wipes are the best.
Do you have an IKEA near you? They have area rugs. Sometimes Pottery Barn has some good ones on clearance. XOXO
I got input from mothers and they said that bouncers are so terrific because they are so portable. They love the fact that they could put their baby in them and take the baby in the bathroom while they are showering and the moms would talk to the baby. See how your life will change!!! Maybe 2 bouncers and one swing might be good for starters for you and then you can see if they like the swing or not. For diapers they said that swaddlers were fabulous for newborns. They commented on how soft they were and they are shaped perfectly for a newborn's bum. They said that Huggies were their preference for later, mainly because swaddlers are expensive. Can't wait to help you change all those diapers...
ReplyDeleteHm. I wrote a nice long comment before, but it got lost somewhere. Let me try again!
ReplyDeleteThe swing was my lifeline in my babies' first two months. I would wind that thing up a few times a night to help them get back to sleep (and us back to sleep too!). The bouncers are just okay for me. My kids didn't seem to love them. It is nice that you can bring them everywhere in the house. But, also you could do the same thing with an infant carseat. Which is what I did. :) The swing they loved!
Diapers: I was a Huggies girl all the way. Once in awhile we'd get Luvs, being tempted by the lower price. But Luvs doesn't last the night. Also, diaper rash tended to flare up. I never had leakage or rash problems with Huggies. (Never tried the swaddlers, so I can't comment on it.)
Oh, and if they do have diaper rash: Say no to Desitin and yes to Butt Paste! Best stuff ever!
Wipes: Huggies Supreme is a must. It's thick- almost like a throwaway washcloth. It gets the job done neatly and with less wipes needed.
There are always sales happening for Huggies. And there are always coupons for them as well. Try to match a sale and a coupon. You can get as many boxes of diapers as you have coupons for - so start collecting! (They do have a short expiration date, though). In a pinch, Walmart has the best price.
I'd suggest Ikea as well. If you're looking for inspiration, I found that going to furniture stores worked well for me. I could go - no, no, no, no, hate it, and finally, ooh! I like this! I can't tell you beforehand what I like, but I know it when I see it. :)
PS: I had the drool, swelling and Braxton Hicks too. Must be genetic!
Wow, you got a lot of advice! Here are my thoughts:
ReplyDeletePampers swaddlers were nice as newborn. They were our fav but they were pretty pricey so we tried luvs and they worked great. I hear they work better on boys than girls. We hated huggies--he leaked every time. Once he was out of nb size we got costco brand diapers and wiped. They are just like pampers and he rarely leaks. Their wipes are great too and both aren't too bad price, especially when they have the coupon.
As for bouncer vs swing, we got a traveling swing which has been convenient to move and he enjoys it. Haven't tried a bouncer but most really like them. I would say one of each. Good luck!
No advice on interior design--I'm terrible! :)
I enjoyed reading it. I'm supposed to be somewhere else in a minute but I stuck to reading the story. I like the quality of your blog :D
ReplyDelete