Jena M's Profile

@in the desert sun... Tonga baby carrier looks very cool! Do you happen to know where it can be purchased for US residents? Every link I saw online was international, wasn't able to spot a US distributor.

We use the Maya Ring Sling, not the Maya Wrap which is a different product (5 meters of fabric you wrap around your body and baby). Some people really love the wrap, but I felt it was too much fabric to contend with regularly and near impossible to use on a flight (unless you board with it already on and don't plan on removing it during flight). Whereas the ring sling folds very small (fits in my purse, but not a pocket) and also gives nursing cover or extra shade if needed. The photo I included above was taken in 100' heat with tons of biting insects... the cover it provided my 5 month old then was essential! I didn't find it too hot and he stayed cool as well, but we also have the one made out of Linen and I think that adds greatly to the breath-ability.

Thanks also for the reminder of the Aden & Annis muslin swaddle blankets (there are other muslin blankets now on the market as well, but I only have personal experience with A&A) - we still use our blankets as well and they are the best for traveling with both babies and toddlers, the blanket size and weight is perfect. Great shower gift!!

I was recommended Grandma El's diaper ointment and it is indeed amazing and effective, plus cloth diaper friendly. One jar lasted 2.75 years (2 mos old to fully potty trained), so the higher price worked out in the long run. I also later purchased a tube of it to carry on the go and used the tube for extra skin irritations like chapped cheeks last winter after a long day in the cold dry weather. The chap was gone the next day! For diaper rash, I have used it proactively as soon as I see redness (like after a particularly acid #2) and it never gets to the point of becoming a rash. Just about to order another round for our new baby due soon.

http://grandmaels.com/grandma-el-39-s-product-line/grandma-els-diaper-rash-remedy-and-prevention/prod_2.html

Keep in mind, there is more than one type of diaper rash as well... If your child has a yeast rash (redness and bumps located in the folds of skin, versus on the surface of the skin), then you need to treat for yeast. Most will need anti-fungal ointment as well to treat this level of rash and occasionally, the over-abundance of yeast is also found in the child's mouth (called thrush) as the yeast is in their whole digestive track. If you are breast feeding during an outbreak, you will need to treat your nipple as well, since the yeast will travel between yourself and your nursling. If you have a persistent rash that won't go away, it probably needs additional treatment and your pediatrician will be able to confirm a yeast outbreak or if it's something else. Once I learned what a yeasty rash looked like versus a regular diaper rash, I was able to treat yeast outbreak early before it got too bad.

Lastly, I've heard that sometimes continuously diaper rashes can also be an indicator of your washing methods - ie. matching up the right detergent with your water type (hard vs soft) and the amount of water/detergent ratio you use (less detergent, more water is usually needed). For instance, I was using Charlie's soap but it wasn't getting completely clean enough... Switched to Allen's Naturally soap and the switch worked. It wasn't a rash issue for us, but a staining issue (residue build-up).

A great resource link for comparing all the detergents for cloth diaper washing and water type >
http://www.diaperjungle.com/detergent-chart.html

Post author here... I perhaps should have chosen a different title for my post! I absolutely agree with so many of the sentiments expressed above, but it was not my intent to cause a stir. My intent was to showcase some modern miniature house examples for young children, both for inspiration to make your own at home or to purchase a unique one elsewhere. A quick search online for miniature houses will show that most dollhouses or miniature houses are modeled after the classic Victorian era and are meant for older children (and adults!) due to their extreme miniature proportions and delicacies - they are delightful but often complex structures. For younger children and at big-box toy stores, your options are limited to pink overload, heavily branded, or overtly large plastic options. At smaller boutique-size toy stores, mostly I see either Plan Toys or Ryan's Room brands (both of which I feel are manufactured well and love that they are designed with neutral colors and natural wood).

I have really enjoyed seeing my son explore all types of toys that we have offered him in his play space and most definitely at this age (toddler/preschool), there is little to no distinction between "girl" or "boy" toys, just toys he enjoys and is interested in! I feel that it is only later in childhood development that children start to distinguish for themselves and even receive pressure from peers what types of toys they are interested in and should/should not play with. I'm sure that time will come someday for my children and I hope I will have the parenting skills on hand to offer guidance and support towards whatever interests them. Additional hopes as a parent to both a boy (and girl to be born next spring) include the desire to have toys and experiences of all kinds within our household that foster amazing discoveries, creations of all kinds, building things (and taking apart!) to finding out how pieces work together... as well as activities that are quiet, contemplative, imagination-stretching, and help to develop awareness and empathy towards one another within open play. Miniature house play can actually do all of the above and I think that is why I am so attracted to having some sort of set-up in our home that encourages these kinds of play and explorations within one toy.

I am planing to build a mini-house for my son this fall to give to him as a gift come December. I will be doing so in my dad's garage shop and under his tutelage (though hopefully not much is needed, since I have been building things with him my whole life!) It's been so inspiring to see all the neat DIY and handmade mini-houses via Etsy and elsewhere online. Whether you plan on purchasing or building for yourself, there are some really cool ideas out there and I hope these 10 images and links helped plant the seed for any other readers out there looking for mini-house options as well this fall.

Lincoln Logs, Legos, erector sets... fort building, blocks, wood scraps... yes on all!! I am working on a post that features some sources for these great activities and simple play items. There are so many fun, simple, and timeless activities we can introduce to our children, but it's also great to have options and ideas for more complex activities as well. I hope I succeeded in offering the former today.

-Jena M.

Big fan here, too! We have used both the Duralex this year (purchased at Sur La Table) and at my child's school, they use the ones from For Small Hands... neither have had issues with chipping and boy, do they see a ton of wear! Highly recommend either.