tdog17's Profile

For $165: Buy this tall Bestå shelf unit and don't put any shelves on the left side: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/70134044/. Instead, mount one of these: http://www.amazon.com/Delta-Leonardo-Single-Bicycle-Vinci/dp/B000FGTTEW

Another balance bike fan chiming in here. We got our daughter a wooden SmartGear bike, and it comes in different colors. They could each have their own color. Costs about $70, and you'd probably get a bunch back when you sold them on Craigslist.

I completely agree with Trishdom. Only an issue for families. Even so, we just put in a new large bathroom in our basement and were going with an open shower design until the last minute because we like that modern look. We have two small kids so practicality won in the end. By the way, it's hard to find reasonably priced stylish tubs.

My husband thought I was nuts when I bought one here in Sweden. Still does. (Everyone, including the preschools, use them.) I love it. Every banana has fit so far.

I just bought the IKEA SVALA table and chair set for my almost-2-year-old. I'm really happy with it. (And she loves it.) I'm not sure I would be comfortable with LACK tables because of the sharpish edges.

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/87474709

We moved to Sweden three years ago and quickly adopted the local custom of no shoes in the house. Now it seems strange to see American TV shows in which people are wearing shoes inside. We plan to continue the no-shoe rule when we move back to the States.

We, like you, feel that our 10-month-old daughter gets plenty of face-to-face interaction with us. Her one-hour walk every day in the forest is her chance to explore. Most of the time she sings along and I try to carry a conversation with her – talking about our dog running around or the train going by. Sure, the research made me reflect on our choice of stroller, but I also thought the impact on "long-term development" was unfounded. They didn't track these babies through childhood and beyond. Couldn't boredom explain the lower heart rates and number of sleeping babies? Every child is different, and our daughter, at least, seems to like facing out.

I second Portugal! For all the reasons Kelly mentioned. We had our second best beach vacation ever there. (#1 was Vieques in Puerto Rico, which could also be a great spot for you.) We didn't have children yet when we went. But now we have a little one and would love to go back to the same spot. We stayed in Tavira and checked out the entire Algarve region, as well as Seville, in easy day trips.

We have the Flip Ultra. The size is great for bringing along. And you don't look like you're filming something, so it's a bit discreet. However, every so often a clip gets damaged and can't be downloaded. Not a big deal if it's just casual, fun stuff as opposed to, say, the birth of your child.

Like heppony, we used the bassinet component of our stroller. In the early weeks, we liked to keep her close by us in the living room when she would fall asleep. And then we just moved her into our room when it was our bedtime, as well. Having a mobile bassinet was key. Then, at 3 to 4 months, we moved her into her crib in her own room, and there were no issues at all with the transition. (More difficult for me than her!) She likes the extra room in her crib now. But in the beginning, I think the crib was too huge for her. The bassinet creates a cozy space when they are so small.