This being our second trip to the baby rodeo hopefully means that we’re a bit wiser going in. We can cherry-pick from what worked well with Clara while trying to improve on some newborn and baby items, products, and methods that might need fine tuning. Of course every kid is different and what worked for baby #1 may not apply for #2 – so we’re just waiting for those curve balls to come flying towards us – but since you guys have been asking, here are five things we’re planning to redo (as in do again or use again) and five things that we’ll do new. And because they pair up nicely, we’ll look at ’em side-by-side. Note: None of the links in this post are affiliate links.
AGAIN – Angel Care Monitor: This was one of 5 newborn “lifesavers” that we shared after Clara was born – just for the peace of mind that it gave us (no getting out of bed to watch the baby breathe). It’s not for everyone, but we found it really comforting, and it soothed a lot of our new-parent anxiety. It’s basically a sound monitor with a motion-sensitive pad that slides under the crib mattress to detect when baby’s breathing (and sound an alarm if it stops). We ordered an attachment (by calling Angel Care directly) with two pads to minimize false alarms once Clara got a bit wigglier (she’d roll out of the single pad’s detection area) and were really happy with it, so we’ll be reusing it while the baby boy snoozes. We’ve also gotten the free cord cover kit that fixes the recent recall issue.
NEW – Video Monitor: We never used a video monitor with Clara, but now that we’ll often be on a separate floor during nap times (along with occasionally having two kids sleeping at the same time, so an audio monitor might be confusing in that “which one is crying?” way) we decided to add a video monitor to the mix. We got the Levana Lila (bought with a trial membership to Amazon Mom) and we found an awesome spot in the nursery where it can peek out from behind the curtain, making the monitor and its cord nearly invisible in the room (there’s an outlet right beneath it that also hides behind the curtain).
AGAIN – Crib Sleeping: You already know that we’re using Clara’s crib again, but we also plan to reuse our technique to start crib sleeping from the very beginning. Our first house didn’t have much room for a bedroom bassinet and Clara’s nursery was just steps away, so she slept in her room from the moment she came home. We have a more spacious bedroom here, but baby boy will just be on the other side of the wall (about ten steps away) – and crib sleeping from the start worked so well with Clara that we’re gonna try it again. We liked that it spared us an extra transition from bassinet to crib down the road, and she was a pretty epic sleeper so we don’t want to change much up in that arena.
NEW – Sound Machine: We used a sound machine with Clara and we will most definitely use one again. But since we can’t steal Clara’s (she still wants “the ocean on” every night) we had to get something new. For her nursery, we had chosen an iPod dock with Sherry’s old iPod loaded with a CD called “Natural White Noise for Babies” on a loop (we thought the iPod would be nice so we could use it to play music down the road too). But rather than splurge on a new iPod and dock, we decided this simple $20 standalone sound machine would work well for the bun (we can always get him a music player down the line if he misses that perk).
AGAIN – Ergo Carrier: Baby-wearing was our preferred method of Clara transport in the early months. Sherry had a sling, but since Clara often took that as her cue to nurse, I mostly wore her in our Ergo Carrier. It held up great and we just recently broke it out and gave it a wash so it’s ready to go again.
NEW – Double Stroller: Clara rarely uses a stroller anymore (day-to-day she either walks or shopping carts it) so we debated whether we’d even need a double stroller at all. But we still like to take long family walks/hikes using our jogging stroller (longer than Clara can last on her own) and she also likes to hop in beside her younger cousins in their double strollers when they’re around, so we took the plunge. Well, Sherry’s mom plunged for us as a new baby gift. We jumped right to a jogging stroller (the double-version of the single InStep Safari we got when Clara was 1) instead of getting a lighter-duty model since that works well for longer hikes without smooth paths as well as long neighborhood walks. I don’t anticipate jogging with both of them often, but it’s nice to know it can do that too. And for the day-to-day stuff we’ll probably just use the Ergo with Clara walking (or in her single stroller if there’s a ton of walking to be done).
AGAIN – Cloth Diapers: The BumGenius cloth diapers that we bought for Clara have held up really well, so for now we plan to use the dozen that we have, and might add six more to our stash as we need them. Like Clara, we won’t transition to cloth until he grows into them (it took Clara a few months but then she could use the same one-size-fits-all diapers for 2+ years). Also like Clara, he won’t be exclusively cloth diapered. We found with her that mixing in the occasional disposable (mostly for extended periods away from home or overnight towards the end of her diapering time) was what worked for us, so we’re going to try that again.
NEW – Honest Diapers: We’re gonna give Honest Co. diapers a try this time before the bun fits into our one-size-fits-all cloth ones, instead of sticking to Seventh Generation ones like we did with Clara. We’ve heard lots of good things about them from a few friends and I’m liking the idea of signing up for a bundle that arrives without having to think about it (we’ll take all the help we can get in those bleary newborn days). Plus, I can’t deny that the designs on Honest diapers are pretty sweet (dude, they have bikes).
AGAIN – Car Seat: Baby Barnacle will also be using Clara’s infant car seat, since Clara’s Chicco KeyFit 30 is in great shape, still meets all current safety standards, hasn’t been dropped or in an accident (you definitely want to replace a used seat that has), is a neutral gray & green color scheme, and shouldn’t expire until the bun outgrows it (it’s good for 6 years from the manufacture date). Is it wrong that I’m kinda looking forward to the days of snap-and-go seat again?
NEW – Car: He won’t be riding in a hand-me-down car though. Yup, we got a new ride. It hit us that our family of five would have a hard time taking road trips in our Nissan Altima (and I very intentionally include Burger in that number, because his crate takes up a whole seat – let alone all the pack & play/baby gear we’ll be toting along). So we traded it in for a 2014 Toyota Highlander because, after some research and test driving, it felt like the best mix of family hauling & DIY hauling for us (it has a collapsible third row). It was a bit of a splurge for us, but having saved by only buying used vehicles before (we drove our first Nissan past 170,000 miles and our second one over 100,000) it still fit into our budget and got us some features that we lacked before: back-up camera, Bluetooth, and (Sherry’s favorite) heated seats. Plus, Clara’s digging the little book caddy I rigged up for her.
I’m sure every family has different scenarios and needs, so I’d be interested to hear what you guys reused or redid vs. what you changed or upgraded when baby #2 came along. Did anyone else feel a huge relief in that their “to do/buy” list was a lot shorter with their second child? It’s nice to have a lot of the basics covered already.
Psst – For more baby/kid related posts, there’s newborn paraphernalia we liked, keeping baby stuff simple, cloth diapering, battling kid clutter, saving money on baby stuff, baby led weaning, 14 months of breastfeeding, being a stay at home dad, baby toiletries, and kid clothes.
Lauren says
This post sounds very familiar. Although, we bought our Highlander before we had our first child since I had a two door car and my husband has a truck. We love our Highlander!
My first daughter was also a great sleeper (not from the get go more like 8-9 weeks on) so I am wondering how this one will be (she’s 6 weeks now). Keep your fingers crossed for me! ;)
I wanted to ask you about breastfeeding/bottles. Are you planning on trying bottle feeding with your son? Your breastfeeding journey with Clara sounds identical to mine. She would not take a bottle of expressed milk and believe me we tried! I am starting to pump some and try it with this daughter just to maybe have some options down the road…..
YoungHouseLove says
Yes I’d love to try pumping and bottles again. Didn’t work with C, but this one could be totally different!
xo
s
Kristin says
Do you think you are going to switch the position of the carseats once the little guy arrives? I’m expecting in a week and we have my son in the same position as Clara (diagonal from the driver), but I’m thinking it might be better to move the babes there since it’s a better angle for a mirror. He’s been there so long though, I don’t want him to think he’s getting the shaft!
YoungHouseLove says
We think since sometimes only one of us is driving (without a passenger) it’s easier to pass things back to Clara if she’s on that side. Since we won’t be handing anything to the baby we think it’s easier with him behind the driver since it’s hard to reach that seat.
xo
s
Elise says
Hey Sherry,
Quick question for you. How did you secure your new video monitor to the wall? We have the Angel Care with video and are not sure how to put it on the wall without installing a shelf (which we don’t really have room for).
Any tips?
Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
That monitor just had a keyhole notch on the back and even came with screws and anchors, so it was nice and easy.
xo
s
nadine says
Car seats have a 5 year expiry date. If you bought your seat more than 1 month before Clara was born it wont make it through the baby’s first year. For people who are so concerned about safety you should really re-consider getting a new one for this kid.
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks for the concern! The Chicco Keyfit 30 is actually good for 6 years. Here’s a thread from the first page of comments with more on that for ya. You know we’re safety freaks, so we definitely checked the expiration, and of course we’d buy a new one if it got close!
xo,
s
Lindsay says
You’ll have to report back about how you like the Highlander! I test drove one a few weeks ago and LOVED it! My only concerns with it are that we won’t be able to put a baby in the middle seat and I’m short, like Sherry, so I didn’t know how hard it would be to get kids in and out of that big of an SUV. Do you both love it? My car is a two-door, which obviously isn’t ideal for when our first baby arrives this fall!
YoungHouseLove says
So far I love it! And I’m super prego, so I have even less of a reach/lean going on but I can get Clara in and out easily! So far, we are psyched!
xo
s
Cackie says
We have the diaper bundle from Honest Co and LOVE it. I swear the wipes clean better than others (I actually use them to take of stubborn makeup too, ha!) and you can compost them! Crazy! We also have the Angel Care monitor – it’s an added security that I really like. But I’m wondering how you travel. I’m anxious on all of our overnight trips because we don’t take it. I’ve always thought you had to have a piece of wood or something flat under the sensor. Have y’all figured out an easy way to travel with it?
YoungHouseLove says
We’re crazy and we traveled with a little flat piece of wood that fit into the base of our pack and play so we could still use it. I’m a bad sleeper when I’m not at home so at least that gave me some comfort.
xo
s
VV says
It’s amazing to see how things work differently for everyone – I love these lists to get a good idea and see how different people work the same product and how they found it.
For example, I found the cloth diapers fine at the beginning and troublesome once my bub hit 8 months cos he was a chronic wee wee machine and the Bum Geniuses leaked all over EVERYTHING.
Or the Natural White Noise for Babies from iTunes – we too used a cheapo sound dock and my old iPhone with Mountain Stream on loop, but the slight break when the track looped always woke the sensitive lil guy!! The hubs ended up editing the track, extending it to 2hrs and getting rid of the fade at the beginning and end. To be honest, we would’ve been better off to just use one of the many free apps available that loop without a noticeable gap!
Thanks for this list! Great to read and food for thought for when we have a second (one day :P) – congrats on the Barnacle! Nursery looks fit for a prince charming :):) xox
Andrea says
We used the Angelcare until my daughter turned 2 in December & I’ve recommended it to so many expecting parents who had never heard of it. Such piece of mind! I think I originally saw it on your baby gear post, so thanks! We’re using it for baby #2 (a boy due in May). And we also have the same exact video monitor (Levana Lila) for our daughter in her big girl room. We’ve been using for over a month now and it is awesome. I needed to see what shenanigans she was up to now that she wasn’t in a crib! Good luck & congrats!
Kate says
Fun tips, I enjoyed this post. I’m expecting #2 in July and what’s different for us this time around isn’t that we plan on using different stuff (although we are for some items) but that we plan to use less. We definitely have a better sense of what’s really needed and what’s not.
Your video monitor looks great. Haven’t seen that one. Just a tip–if you decide you want something that allows you to look in on the baby remotely (from your laptop or phone), Dropcam is awesome. We’ve really enjoyed ours and will be using it again. I like that we never have to charge a receiver (since we keep our phones/computers charged or plugged in anyway, it doesn’t seem like an extra hassle).
We’re getting a different swing that doesn’t take up the whole.entire.room like our last one did. We’re also debating the double stroller but will probably get one for the same reasons you did. And we upgraded to an SUV, too–like you, we only have one car, and our Honda Accord was great but not big enough.
Rachel K says
I LOVE my Ergo! It’s probably unsafe, but a lot of nights I have to use it so I can make dinner without being screamed at lol. And it’s awesome for daycare drop off/pickup (I walk to and from) so I don’t have to deal with the dreaded stroller room aka pile of strollers.
One thing I would do different is get Foscam, I have heard such great things about it. I love our video monitor, but being able to see it from anywhere would be awesome.
Sarah says
For people considering the Highlander, the CarSeatLady recently posted this info on her Facebook page about a limitation on using a carseat on the passenger side and having a passenger sit in the middle seat:
“Just found this gem in the 2014 Toyota USA Highlander manual: If you have a car seat installed in the passenger seat of the 2nd row or 3rd row, you can’t have anyone sit in the center seat of that row because their seat belt may not function properly. Basically, if you install a car seat on the passenger side that car seat effectively takes up 2 seating positions in the car (passenger & center).
How the h*** are vehicle manufacturers allowed to get away with crap like this – and in a vehicle targeted to families no less! And burying this rather important tidbit in a random warning on p.77 at the end of the car seat/seat belt section… yeah, that’s classy. The worst part is that it doesn’t even make sense – as the passenger/center seats don’t overlap much at all.
NOTE: The Highlander was redesigned for 2014 – this info does not pertain to the 2013 & older models. However, the 2013 & older models have such a miniscule center seat, that it is essentially useless anyway.”
YoungHouseLove says
Good to know! Our version doesn’t have a center seat in the 2nd row (two captains seats, where both car seats will go) so I’m relieved we’re not affected but it’s really sneaky to hide that fact!
xo
s
Jennah says
Y’all may want to add some info to the Babywearing section about local babywearing groups! For anyone else interested in babywearing, check to see if there is a group with a lending library near you! You can try a bunch of carriers before you buy or register, make sure what you have and how you’re wearing is safe and comfortable (those pouch slings like the ones pictured can be particularly difficult for newbies) for you and baby, as well as get any questions answered. (S&J, you guys have a great local chapter!)
http://www.babywearing.com/directory
http://babywearinginternational.org/pages/chapters.php
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks for spreading the word!
xo
s
Sarah @ Sarah's Daybook says
Woot! I have always loved the look and size of the Highlander. What color did you get?
Sarah
http://www.sarahsdaybook.wordpress.com
YoungHouseLove says
We got dark gray. Sometimes it looks sort of brownish copper in the sun. Really pretty!
xo
s
Penny Ralph says
Hi, just finished reading this article and thought it was interesting…
http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/infant-sleep-machines-have-dangerous-noise-levels-study-says-1.2555838
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks Penny!
xo
s
kathleen says
We have a 2013 dodge caravan, and the 2nd and 3rd row both collapse, we have hauled home full sized exterior doors, furniture, and a huge stack of 8′ pieces of drywall in that thing! love it!
Alyssa says
Hey guys! Great list! I have been considering a camera in my sons room, he’s number two and already 21 months but ever since we had to switch him to his toddler bed (not by choice, but because he was climbing out of the crib) he gets up during the night and gets out of his room. I want to just be noisy and see if he’s doing that at other times now;) but I found a wireless camera and am considering that since you can access it from your phone…wondered if you looked into that at all? Also, does your double stroller fit through most standard doorways? Ours doesn’t and I hate it!! We rented the city mini double while on vacation last year because it fit through all the doorways and now looking back, we should have bought that one:( I love a side by side jogger much more than the front to back strollers but the fact that we have to take both kids out to pass through is terrible! :) also, I got the sample free from honest and those diapers are super cute!!
YoungHouseLove says
Our double stroller is just for hikes and trail runs so I bet it would be super annoying and cramped in stores (otherwise Clara will walk and we’ll probably wear baby). As for the phone monitors, we heard some spooky things about people being able to tap into your wifi and watch your camera, so we opted for a monitor setup that wouldn’t allow for that.
xo
s
Cara says
Do you mind sharing what jogger you have?
Kate says
My husband is a computer techie and we have the a wifi video monitor. If someone can’t break into your wifi, they can’t tap into your monitor. Since our home network is super secure (thanks to my husband), I wasn’t concerned. However, for people like John and Sherry who are well-known and have to take extra precautions, I can see why it wouldn’t be the best choice for them. Still, I have to say how awesome it is. The convenience can’t be beat.
YoungHouseLove says
Oh man, that sounds awesome! Would love to hear how your techie hubby made it super secure!
xo
s
Alyssa says
Thanks for the input, that is spooky!! And good to know, I’ll check into that more before pulling the trigger:)
N Shirley says
We went from a 1969 MGB to a 1979 Ford Fiesta when we had our second child. Now that we have two grandchildren in the back we got a 2013 FOUR DOOR Ford Fiesta. It was getting harder to lug the children out of the back seat with the two door. First BIG car we ever had!
Donna says
I’d love to see a dedicated post to your new vehicle! Which ones you compared, what were your “must have” features, more pictures, etc.
Debbie C says
Wooo, it’s getting exciting around here! Can’t believe the Barnacle is coming so soon! I haven’t tried the Honest diapers yet but I love their toiletries. It’s fun reading through the comments about how “newfangled” baby stuff is now…my cousin’s wife told me her mom had her sleep in a laundry basket (padded with a towel) when she was born! Gotta do what you gotta do. :) We also (as in, 2 days ago) just upgraded to a Honda Odyssey to fit our family of 4. It’s amazing how much room there is now, no more playing Tetris just trying to pack for roadtrips!
Tarah says
I think most of the media reports regarding the white noise machines have been a bit overblown. I’ll admit I had a stab of worry after hearing about the study, since my daughter is almost 3 and has used one every night of her life, but then I came across this article and I’m not so worried anymore:
http://www.slate.com/articles/double_x/the_kids/2014/03/sound_machine_study_should_not_cause_parents_to_panic_white_noise_doesn.html
Just thought I’d share!
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks for the link!
xo
s
Beth says
We’ve got a lot of the same things! Love our video monitor and sound machines! I actually listen to my white noise machine and then the machine in our 14 month olds room through the monitor. We upgraded to a minivan after saying I would never drive one, but two kids and two dogs mean more cargo! And I agree that going straight to the crib is so helpful! Both our girls are excellent sleepers and I know it’s bc they were used to their cribs from night one and also had a sound machine! My husband would go get the baby at night and change her diaper while I got ready to nurse. So helpful and not many men do that, so we got the good ones! ;)
Alex says
New car! Woohooo! We were forced into getting a new car before a bean arrived and went from a mini cooper to a compact suv and have loved it. We like you, have a small dog and its amazing how much car space they take up! I do still miss my mini though *sniffle*
I hope the cloth diapers work for the baby boy. From reading your blog you were the first to introduce us to the idea and we have been so happy with the decision to cloth diaper. So basically thanks for sharing!
Joanne Couture says
We also have an Altima AND we are looking at the highlander as well. We are North Jersey (bridge & tunnel) but we love taking long drives to OBX or upstate New York! Keep us posted on the new wheels ????
YoungHouseLove says
Will do!
xo
s
Joanna A. says
Oh man we have so many of the same loves! We used a video monitor we received from friends (best gift ever!!) and we are hooked, I love where you placed it, our nursery is set up similar with the crib in the middle of a wall so we might try to re-mount the camera so it hides behind the curtain!
Love our Ergo, baby boy is almost a year and we still use it.
Love our Bum Genius and we also use Honest diapers for the in-between times. I just ordered the bikes print…can’t wait to try those out!!
Love the white noise machine. We used an old iPhone with a white noise app and it makes it really easy to travel as well when visiting family etc.
So excited for you guys and the arrival of the Barnacle! :)
Lisa says
We also started our kid in the crib the first night home. I don’t know why but it never occurred to me to do anything different. I’m so glad we did because we never had to deal with the “transition” to crib and my friends that did, went through some tough times.
Also, video monitor = life saver. It’s also super funny to watch all the funny things the kids do when the kid gets older when they think no one’s watching :)
Robin B says
Hey guys!! I’m pregnant for the second time too and due in July. I was contemplating doing cloth diapers this time around as I will be a stay at home mom for a while. Would you and Sherry ever do a “how-to” post on using cloth diapers? Best of luck with the barnacle!
YoungHouseLove says
We linked to a huge post about those at the end of this one. Lots of details for ya! Hope it helps :)
xo
s
Cara says
You will love the double jogger. I agonized over spending the money on ours, but it has been so worth it. The jogger (at least the one we got – baby jogger) can fit a pretty tall child, so I feel like we will use it for a while.
Alex P says
LOVE these tips, I have two boys and I think we fell in line with a lot of the New and Re-Use on your list! ALSO, fun fact, you mentioned that you are re-using the car seat because it hasnt been dropped or in an accident…. if for any reason you get in an accident, even a fender bender, your insureance comapny will REPLACE a carseat, so make sure its on the claim :) My brother is a firefighter, and he is always shocked how many people dont know that!
YoungHouseLove says
So smart!
xo
s
Jenn says
Hi Sherry and John,
May I make a suggestion? Since it seems many people have commented multiple times regarding the car seat expiration, perhaps it would benefit you to update your post, noting that you have already checked the expiration? It might be useful for people to know that 1) car seats have an expiration (which, being childless, I did not know), and 2) that you have already done your homework. It might prevent more unnecessary comments, AND benefit and educate your readers.
Praying for you in your last weeks before your little boy arrives!
YoungHouseLove says
Love that idea! We are in the car so I can’t edit the post but as soon as we’re home I’ll add an update :)
xo
s
Jenn says
You may want to update information about the add-on for the Angel Care monitor also, as well as information for other questions asked and answered multiple times. It’s a good way for your readers to stay informed and up-to-date with an initial reading of your post, and should also cut back on your need to answer so many comments. Win-win for everyone. :)
Enjoy your evening!
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks Jenn! We are in the car right now (can’t edit posts on the phone) but would love to add those updates when we’re home.
xo
s
Ang says
Can you post where you found an add on pad for the angelcare? I was wondering if you could by an extra one. I am just getting to the wiggly stage :)
YoungHouseLove says
We just went to their site and called them directly saying we got a few false alarms when she was wiggly enough to go in the corner and out of range and they sent us a second one to work with our original setup. I think it was $30? Worked like a charm!
xo
s
Diana says
The one good thing to our son coming home on an apnea monitor was that we didn’t have to do that “is he breathing??” all the time (although I still checked the first times he slept through the night!). It was a huge pain in the butt during the day but huge peace of mind at night. And it luckily never went off!
My sister has that exact double jogger and loves it!
We have 12 AIOs and were also talking about maybe adding another 6 when we have a second kid. Kinda depends on their spacing though, would definitely need 18 if we have 2 in diapers at once!
Love these kinds of posts!
Jenny B. says
Fun list! We have the AngelCare monitor also. Ours is still in daily use as a sound monitor, and still works perfectly after nine years! :) We did away with the crib bumper for baby #2. Not really on purpose. I just never put it back in the crib, and we never missed it. We also did crib sleeping from the beginning with #2. Excited for you guys! :)
Pam Lee says
This is unrelated to your blog but I live in Chattanooga, Tennessee and a nearby college has a live
webcam on a new mother bald eagle. Thought you all might enjoy, especially Clara.
Pam
http://www.berry.edu/eaglecam/
YoungHouseLove says
Can’t wait to show her! Thanks for the link!
xo
s
kat says
We have a 2007 highlander hybrid and we love it. We have the prius too and both cars work really well with two car seats. The Highlander is technically my husbands car so I told him you all got one and he felt very validated with our decision.
Thank you so much for these posts. When I was expecting the first time I pretty much let you all vet all the baby gear and we bought a lot of the things you loved (BG cloth diapers, joovy stroller, angelcare monitor and ergo). These became our go-to baby items and were well loved. We are expecting #2 in Aug and we will be re-upping on many of the same things from your list today.
Carrie says
We’ve had a highlander for 2 years and I LOVE it! It’s definitely going to be a vehicle I drive for at least a decade. Congrats on the new purchase. My two kids were so different in some ways, but then similar at the same time. I like your plan, but also plan-to-be-flexible, approach.
Jennie says
Don’t know if anyone’s said this yet but the Honest Co. diapers are on zulily right now, if you like to stock up and hoard like I do. Just sayin. Love your blog!
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks Jennie!
xo
s
Cara says
Just for extra info into the sleep machine study, here’s an article explaining how the results have been taken somewhat out of context:
http://www.slate.com/articles/double_x/the_kids/2014/03/sound_machine_study_should_not_cause_parents_to_panic_white_noise_doesn.2.html
I highly doubt that the way you use the sound machine would have any negative impacts on the Barnacle! Best of luck!
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks for the link!
xo
s
Jeana says
Terrific list! How did John rig up Clara’s little book holder?
YoungHouseLove says
He used a magazine holder and secured it with a heavy duty bungee cord (to the little tray arm thing next to her seat) so it won’t slide around or tip over.
xo
s
Kristi Taylor says
I have a 2004 highlander with 237k miles, and love it! I keep saying I will upgrade when it starts having problems, but other than regular maintenance, and replacing suspension a few times (I live on a dirt road that stays in bad shape), I’ve had no problems. It’s been through 7 dogs, being the only car for 2 people for many years. You will love it!!!!
YoungHouseLove says
That’s amazing!!
xo
s
Jo says
My oldest is 21, and my youngest is 17, and I am amazed at all the new stuff for babies now. We were poor as church mice when my oldest was born and, apart from crib, carseat, and change table, everything was handed down from friends. When baby number 2 came, the only thing new was another carseat, and a new 2nd hand stroller as the first one wore out. When baby number 3 came we had to splurge on boy clothes, because the pink dresses wouldn’t cut it. But now with all the new stuff and a slightly bigger wallet, I keep thinking maybe another one might not be too bad…… ;)
Emily says
We are doing the re-do and new thing right now too. Our first was also born in May 2010 and baby #2 arrived September 2013. We are also planning to get the 2014 highlander. Do you plan on doing an in depth review/pros/cons? That would be a huge help!
YoungHouseLove says
We just read a lot of reviews (for all cars in that size/class and specific ones that compared just two choices like the Highlander vs the Pathfinder). We also had a few test drives. Mainly the tighter handling, added cargo space, reliability, price, and power to haul gave it a slight leg up, so we went for it).
xo
s
Melissa P says
Yay! Loved this! So excited for the new babe :)
Kate says
Re: car seat position, as always, I learned something new from reading here (in this case, your reply on another poster’s comment). I hadn’t thought about handing things back to an older child being made easier if they’re still in the diagonal seat; that’s definitely a consideration. We were going to put the baby in the diagonal spot because where we live, there’s a lot of parallel parking and I figure that we can load the kids in on the sidewalk/passenger side and my older son can crawl across the seat to his car seat, and then I can put the baby into his. But if you’re not in an area where you parallel park much, I can see how that wouldn’t really matter. Decisions, decisions! Who knew parenting came with these types of considerations?! Haha.
YoungHouseLove says
Never even thought of that!
xo
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Kelli says
Hi! Just wanted to let you know, the Honest Co will let you get mixed sizes in your bundle, all you have to do is call. I cloth diaper too and find that one of their bundles is enough for 3-4 months for me, so I call and get half and half for when she’s close to the next size. They have really excellent customer service! And I LOVE their wipes, sunscreen, bugspray, and soap!
YoungHouseLove says
Love that!
xo
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Heather says
I love you are telling us about the baby stuff…how about the toddler stuff for Clara? I have a baby about a tad young than Clara and so I’ve always looked to your posts for guidance. We are moving into figuring out what equipment/toys are worth it and those not for 18 months. Suggestions?
YoungHouseLove says
That would be a fun post! Clara generally likes pretend play (dress up, play kitchen, dollhouse) and also likes artsy stuff (paint, markers, play-doh) and anything water related or cooking related (playing in the sink or bath, helping to make dinner or cookies, etc).
xo
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Leah says
Since Clara loves artsy stuff, do you know about the Artful Parent? It’s a blog I read — I started when I was teaching preschool nature camp and wanted idea to do with the kids. I love her blog for good art ideas.
YoungHouseLove says
That sounds awesome! Will have to check it out!
xo
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Melissa says
I test drove the Highlander and loved it! But with being a 2 human 1 dog family it was a bit too much for us and we went with the Rav4.
My sister in law has signed up with the automatic sending of stuff from amazon. She gets her diapers, organic baby food, and I think formula too. Helped her focus on more important things.
Can’t wait to see the little guy!
Megan says
I’m a HUGE fan of all the Honest products especially the diapers and wipes! The diapers really are so nice and they fit so well! Also loving the new nursery! We are 20 weeks in with our second baby as well and I’ve loved hearing about the new stuff and am also a bit nervous about 2!
Thanks for all of your input on the blog…I look forward to reading it every day!
YoungHouseLove says
Aw thanks Megan! Best of luck with your little one on the way!
xo
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JustAng says
I was in the “we don’t need a video monitor because we’re in a small apt” camp. Didn’t even register for one. Nonetheless, I received one for my shower. Let me say, I could’t live without it! Granted, my nightstand is like a laboratory with the video monitor, Angelcare machine and a thermometer going all night. (God forbid I want to actually put a water cup or eyeglasses up there too.) But being able to see/hear my kids is wonderful peace of mind. With Baby #2, we got a second cam and split screen the monitor to watch both sleeping (or sigh, not sleeping) all night. Only weird thing is when they stare up at the little light on the camera. Their night vision green eyes are staring right at you and cute as these kiddos are, it’s still creepy. haha.
Katie says
We did the crib from the beginning with our first, but ended up putting our second in our room with us in the beginning – not really because we were unhappy with the method we used the first time around, but because we weren’t ready to decide how to rearrange rooms and because my oldest hadn’t outgrown the crib yet. Anyway, I wasn’t committed to it really in the beginning, but it was actually so, so nice. We put up a folding screen to keep the baby space a bit more private, so we could come in and out of the room without worrying we’d wake him every time. And in the night, it was so nice to just grab him and get back in bed when he needed to be fed. And as it turned out, he was sick a lot in his first few months – colds mostly, but he ended up with RSV and was hospitalized for a few days – so we were even more grateful to have the set up ready to keep him close enough literally to make sure he was still breathing.
YoungHouseLove says
Oh no, so scary!
xo
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traci says
Thanks for this post! My first is due April 30th, so I’m right behind you on the little boy train. I especially appreciate that you encourage everyone to share their favorites too. It is really helpful to get a sense of how things work for a lot of people since what works for babies tends to vary so much.
First, in case you didn’t get the message from every other commenter, sound machines need to be kept quiet and your car has a recall :) I’m very sorry that so many people didn’t read any comments before posting to tell you the same thing that 100 others told you. You two have the patience of saints!
Second, I wholeheartedly appreciate that you guys are big researchers like me and so I always feel good including your opinions in my research and quite often come to the same conclusions as you. I’m curious to see how the honest company diapers work out for you guys, but in case they don’t I thought I’d point out this post by babygearlab (like a consumer reports for baby products) on disposable diapers http://www.babygearlab.com/Disposable-Diaper-Reviews/ratings
Looks like honest company did fairly well. Earth’s best is their editor’s pick (and looks a little cheaper than honest co.) and Target brand is their bargain pick. Anywho, just thought I’d share the info.–looking forward to your real-world testing!
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks Traci! I loved reading that! Now I feel like we should try those other two out and see how they stack up too!
xo
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