With just seven days until my actual due date (although we’re pretty sure Baby P will make us wait even longer), we’ve officially begun getting ready for her arrival.
Of course you’ve seen us tackling her nursery, but now when we say getting ready, we really mean getting-ready-for-my-water-to-break-and-to-actually-welcome-our-new-daughter-into-the-world. See, pretty much right after we found out I was pregnant we slowly began to wrap our minds around the idea that our family would be growing as my belly continued to expand with every baked potato and chocolate milk craving.
Now you see why I’ve been humming my tweak on an old Beyoncé classic: “I don’t think you’re ready for this belly.”
And only quite recently did we fully digest the concept that we actually made a person. We made a person! There’s a girl in my belly who will walk and talk someday, heck she’ll even have a job and probably be desperately embarrassed about her dorky parents who always have paint in their hair. It’s just such a giant thought that it literally takes about nine months to sink in- which might just be why it takes so long to cook one of these things. It’s probably nature’s way of making sure you’re really ready for the life changing and momentous birth instead of smacking you in the face with a baby after 30 days of gestation. But anyway, now that we have fully been able to wrap our heads around the notion that we’re about to really be parents (!) there are a few things that we’ve done in anticipation of our little miracle’s arrival:
1. Our practical purchase: My obsession with my water breaking in bed or on the couch got the best of me and I convinced John to let me get a waterproof mattress cover to protect our beloved organic mattress and another little waterproof blanket that I can place on the sofa or the seat of the car in these last few days… you know, just in case. And the good news is that they’re not nearly as crunchy and diaper-like as I expected (we picked them both up for $23 total at Bed Bath & Beyond thanks to two of those 20% off coupons). Maybe it goes back to how fiercely I love our house, but it just seemed worth the added security to at least attempt to keep the sofa and the bed (along with the passenger seat of our new car) protected from the wrath of holy-cow-it’s-really-time. Especially since my mom’s water broke in bed with every single kiddo. Sidenote: my absolute dream is for my water to break at Target or Home Depot because I just think that would be hysterical since we practically live there. I know, I’m weird.
2. Our DIY project: This second idea was John’s brain child (I’m telling you, he’s the sweet sentimental one and I’m the neurotic fool who worries about my water breaking). He actually brought it up as my birthday gift back in March by suggesting that we get a fabric covered album and create our own little “baby book” with fun patterned paper and printed prompts that you see in typical baby books like “The First Week Was….” and “First Word…” We love the idea of adding in keepsakes like her hospital bracelet and her little going-home hat along with a ton of photos and even things like her inked footprints (we plan to bring a few pieces of cardstock to the hospital since the nurses will gladly make footprints that we can stick into our little memory book of sorts). So we headed over to Michael’s (with a 40% off coupon in hand) and snagged a sweet 8.5 x 8.5″ album covered in super fun Amy Butler fabric for just $9 after my handy coupon.
We also picked up a pad full of 8 x 8″ patterned paper to use as a backdrop in our keepsake album (to the tune of $6). So our entire DIY baby book project ran us $15 total. And after adding all the decorative paper and leaving room for notes about momentous occasions (along with photos and other memorabilia) we were left with a pretty sweet way to document many of Baby P’s firsts:
And since we made it ourselves we had fun adding in quirky things, like this page of “future predictions” where John and I guessed everything from her hair and eye color to her first word, her favorite subject in school, and even her future profession. It should be super fun for the beanette to look back at all of our goofy (and most likely completely wrong) guesses someday.
Plus the fact that it looks so cute in the nursery is the icing on the cake…
3. Our Burger-meets-baby prep: We’ve actually read quite a bit about how to ensure that your pooch and your baby get along, because there’s nothing we want more than for our first fur baby to happily coexist with our first human baby. And time and time again we’ve heard that bringing home a gift for the dog along with the baby can help your pup associate the baby with good things and feel appreciated and excited upon her arrival. Of course we’ll also be doing the bring-home-a-baby-blanket-for-him-to-sniff-beforehand trick, but ever since John mentioned that his mom got him a He-Man toy when his little sister came home from the hospital I’ve been convinced that something super fun for Burger (like a pup-cake from Three Dog Bakery along with a new chew toy) will make him giddy about our growing fam. So we recently picked up some goodies for him… and can’t wait to see his tail wag when he gets ’em.
4. Our blog backup: This forth prep step was actually right up there on the practical side with my waterproof mattress cover. We’ve been working overtime for over a month to amass enough extra blog posts to “tide us over” for the first few hairy weeks after Baby P comes home. That means we took on a few secret projects and wrote up a lot of extra Reader Redesigns, Look & Learns, Email Answers, and Burning Questions along with some fun new tutorials to keep the blog from stagnating while we get our “sea legs” with a newborn, so to speak. Oh and we have a killer House Crashing post to share as well. Basically, you can rest assured that you’ll still get the same YHL experience even when our day to day has gone from projects and blog posts to diapers, feedings, and no sleep.
5. And speaking of diapers: We got a bunch of BumGenius One-Size-Fits-All Organic Snap Diapers from a local shop called MonkeyGrass that we love to support (here’s a link to their online shop and for any Richmond people you can visit their store inside It’s Hip To Be Round in Carytown). These cloth diapers alone (which were actually selected as “more convenient cloth diapers” by Cookie magazine) will save us a substantial amount of money over the course of Baby P’s childhood, and we even ordered them in colors that will work for a possible boy down the road, since we definitely want to use the same cloth dipes for multiple kiddos.
Plus our easy to use Energy Star front loading washer and dryer will keep our water and electricity use to a minimum (everyone says you do laundry like crazy with a baby so we figure it won’t be much of a difference to add some diapers to the mix). And since the average baby uses 8,000 to 10,000 diapers between two and three years, we’ll get to keep that many disposables from landing in a landfill. And all the moolah that we’ll save from buying disposable diapers all the time (which is commonly estimated to be between 2-3K per child) means more money that we can put towards future DIY projects (maybe even with the help of our little girl when she gets big enough to hold a paint brush…). Is it weird to be super excited about diapers? Probably.
6. My clothes cleaning ritual: I actually read that washing all new non-organic baby clothing and bedding (as well as the removable covers of car seats and swings) with a cup and a half of vinegar can rid them of most of the chemicals and dyes that aren’t present in organic clothes. So I’ve been busy washing all of our sweet baby socks, onesies, and pretty much everything else I can get my hands on… just so I’m über ready with the purest baby clothes possible. And the funny thing is that they don’t smell like vinegar when they come out of the wash (they’re completely odorless, it’s kind of amazing). Of course I did have one fateful white-blankets-and-onesies-are-now-pink incident (don’t ask- I somehow tossed tiny hot pink leggings in with the whites) but the soft pink cast on everything actually charms me to no end. And I guess I should get used to letting things roll off my back, so it was a good lesson in the whole nothing-will-be-perfect-and-that’s-ok concept.
7. My pillowcase purchase: I actually got a quick tip from a reader that I just had to follow since it seemed like such a simple way to add some cheerful color to the pretty-stark-and-sterile hospital birthing experience. Joni wrote to us and said:
“I have a little piece of advice that may seem stupid but you’ll thank me later. Make sure you have a pretty pillowcase for the delivery of the baby. It will be in a million photos. Mine was so pretty that when I look at the pictures 13 years later, all I see is my gorgeous baby and that fabulous fabric. It’ll distract people from looking at your puffy I-just-gave-birth face”
Well, for those who don’t know me, I can puff up like the best of them. Seriously I broke my nose in college and my cheekbones didn’t come back for nearly a year. I’m a swelly girl (John even calls me Swell from time to time). So the idea of a pretty pillowcase to take the focus off my giant face sounds like a good one. Plus I just love pillowcase shopping. And the best part is that I hunted down this beauty (on sale of course) and John’s family actually got two of them for me as a birthday gift. So springy and sweet right? Just like my May baby on the way. And not only do I plan to use them at the hospital on Baby P’s b-day, but they’ll make such pretty and fun guest bedroom pillows from then on.
8. Our space saving multipurpose solution: We heard from various friends and family members that a white noise machine and a light machine were two secret weapons to help the beanette drift off to sleep (especially in those first few weeks). And although we believed that they both would really make a difference, with limited outlets and surface area in the nursery, we wondered if we could get some sort of a two-for-one solution that would work double duty. Enter our new iPod I-Home dock stage right (we’ve seen it on amazon.com for a good price):
It was another baby item that came highly recommended by friends and fam (since we can upload children’s music and learning songs for Baby P as she grows). And John, in a stroke of daddy-to-be genius, realized that we could download a CD of white noise from iTunes – to the tune of $6 no less – and effectively turn our iPod dock into a white noise machine with the press of a button (we can even leave it on “repeat” for lengthier renditions of “crashing waves” or “static”). Gotta love a $6 quick fix that allows us to cut back on an entire nursery gadget while saving money. But wait it gets better, the particular I-Home dock that we selected actually has a color changing feature, so it can cycle through a bunch of room-illuminating hues (quickly, slowly, or not at all if you turn off the ambient light setting). So not only does it serve as a sound machine and a music player, it’s a light machine too! Jackpot.
Oh and while we were prepping left and right we came across this quote, which touched both of us so much that we just had to share it:
“A baby will make love stronger, days shorter, nights longer, bankroll smaller, home happier, clothes shabbier, the past forgotten, and the future worth living for.” -Anonymous
Pretty sweet, huh? We can’t wait to meet our little one. And we’d love to hear what any of you guys have done while prepping for a new arrival (whether it’s a baby, a four-legged friend, a roommate, or even a few weekend guests). How did you get your house ready for the new company?
Molly says
From my personal experience…. another great baby item to bring to the hospital would be a pre-washed cute swaddling blanket. That is the “outfit” your little burrito will be wrapped in and have a million pictures taken in. The hospital swaddling blankets are just NOT that cute.
Carolyn says
Wow, you are very prepared for when baby makes her appearance. Good work! I laughed when you said you dyed some of your little one’s clothes pink. It reminded me of a happy washing accident I had when my daughter was first born. Good idea to not get fixated on things being perfect though. It’s amazing how a tiny, little baby can turn everything upside down! Most important thing when she first arrives is to get as much rest as you can. Feeding is a full time job (really!) so you will want to rest/nap whenever you can.
Liz says
Ohhh, how I wish you two the very best labor and delivery and welcoming of your little one. I’m sitting in the delivery room right now with my best friend and his wife. Been here since 5pm. We are SO ready to meet our lil monkey! Thus far, the best investment for us has been technology — netbooks, iphones, cell phones. They’ve kept us occupied so we don’t spend these long, torturous hours watching the clock too hard. They’ve also kept us connected with the outside world, so we don’t have a ton of people sitting in the waiting room who won’t even get to see mama and babe til much later today. Again, best of luck! Enjoy your last moments as a dashing duo!
Barbara Neithardt says
This is not a purchase but this is something I did for my daughter and really enjoyed it. We celebrated every month since her birth with a little hat and cake. I made each hat every month so it was extra special. Im definitly not crafty like you two but I really loved celebrating her life month to month. The first month was a simple hat and 1 cupcake, the second month a crown and 2 cupcakes and so on. I really got into it as the months went on and got more creative with her hats. I took pictures and used each month as part of her theme for her first birthday. Let me know if you got the pic. Good Luck, Its crazy when you have a baby but its a wonderful kind of crazy.
Rebekah says
I read your blog and it’s so cute! I am chuckling at your waterproof mattress pad! My water broke at 37 weeks and I went back to bed!!!! It was my first and our classes were adamant that you not show up to the hospital til contractions were etc . . . To be honest I just thought I couldn’t stop peeing. I even did a towel load of laundry before going to the hospital because I had ahem, used alot of towels. That said, nothing went as planned from then on and we did buy a waterproof pad because our daughter peed many times in our bed since. Best of wishes on your new endeavor! You will love it!
Carla says
Can’t wait to “meet” your little one. I was told that it’s super rare for labor to start with your water breaking. But, my sis and I just had babies and each of us had our water break to start! Don’t worry, though, it’s not enough liquid to ruin your couch. I promise.
Carla says
Oh, and way to go with the cloth diapers! I love Bum Genius! (Organic, 3.0s and the Flip!)
Carla says
Ok, so I should have read the whole post before commenting. We did the very same thing for white noise. And it was awesome! Except hubby had to download it and buy the iHome the day after we came home from the hospital. You are in much better shape :) So exciting. You will love her to pieces.
sunsail says
Congrats on your baby girl!! Whenever you get a chance, can you please update us on 5? Do the BumGenius diapers fit your newborn girl? How’s it going? I’m due in August and I’m wondering if I should begin my stockpile of these… thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
Hi Sunsail,
The BumGenius diapers we got are just a wee bit big for Clara, so we’ve been using Seventh Generation disposables to tide us over until she’s big enough to fit her cloth ones. After she gains a few pounds she’ll be in them for the long haul (they’re one size fits all from around 12 lbs up- which we LOVE!) so we’re sure we’ll get tons of use out of them. As for an update about the cloth diapers down the road, it appears as if a ton of people are interested so we hope to share some info with everyone after we’ve put them to good use.
xo,
s
Sarah says
A few diapers tips…if you are only breastfeeding the entire diaper can be washed without rinsing, etc. You only need to eliminate bowel movements after she starts solid foods. Rather than a sprayer, we use a $1.49 wide plastic putty knife. I have a suction cup hook to the side of the toilet where I hang it and it can really scrape off the poop easily. We have Bum Genius and are very happy with them. For traveling, you might want to try the GroVia liner inserts, like a thick maxi pad they work in the BumGenius shells just fine and biodegrade better than other disposables or other such liners. They are nice for crazy-busy weeks or traveling.
enjoy!
traci says
I know someone mentioned troubles with white noise machines already, but I’d like to second that. They may help you in the beginning, but they become a problem over time. If you start them out on the white noise machine, they will likely become dependent on it for sleep and become very sensitive to other noises. I work in childcare and have known a lot of children, and I can spot a kid with a white noise machine from a mile away. I know that it is difficult getting your child into a sleep pattern at first, but if you expose your child to noise while they sleep, they will learn to sleep through anything and that’s a skill for life (and a blessing as time goes on)! This is definitely something to think about. Good luck with everything!
p.s. you’re baby is too cute!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Traci,
We wholeheartedly agree with the expose-your-child-to-noise-while-they-sleep theory. Burger can bark like a maniac and Clara sleeps right through it (we assume it’s because she was used to hearing him in the womb). And we recently hammered something in the room where she was napping and she didn’t even flinch- which definitely bodes well for taking on all sorts of projects while Clara naps. She’s the best baby ever!
xo,
s
sunsail says
Thanks for your response!
Y’all rock and Clara is beyond adorable.
‘Nuff said.
Courtney says
Any news on when you are posting the PDF’s of the baby album?
Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
Soon! We’re still working it out. Sometime next week we’d assume. Stay tuned…
xo,
s
Amanda says
Don’t know how I missed this post first time around, but loved reading it and really love the pillow cases and docking station!
Amy says
I don’t know how I missed this one either! I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the idea about the DIY baby book!! I am expecting my first in October. I am a teacher and took this summer off so I can work on little DIY baby projects just like this one! Thanks for sharing!!
meggan c says
I read a few posts above and saw that you haven’t gotten little Clara’s bum in those BumGenius One-Size-Fits-All Organic Snap Diapers. I too was SUPER curious what your thoughts were. Can’t wait to hear. You did write that you are using 7th gen diapers for now. I’ve never seen those with our 7th gen products, are they hard to find? How do you like them?
YoungHouseLove says
Clara still has to get a bit bigger before she can get into her cloth diapers, but we can’t wait to try them out! And as for the Seventh Generation diapers, we found them at Buy Buy Baby and Kroger. Love them!
xo,
s
Stefanie says
When cleansing non-organic clothes, do you do just vinegar, or vinegar and detergent?
YoungHouseLove says
We do the first load with a cup and a half of vinegar (to strip off the bad stuff) and then use Seventh Generation detergent from then on out. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Meggan C says
your ipod station – ihome colortunes – is on sale at bed bath and beyond for $59.99 – curious what you guys spent on it
YoungHouseLove says
We actually got it as a gift from a relative (we told them which dock we wanted and they wanted to get it for us). We believe they found it on amazon for about $55 but we’re not sure. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
tara says
Hi! I know this post is super old, but I’m still hoping you can answer my question! I want to wash with vinegar too, but do you use the vinegar and your regular detergent or just the vinegar alone? Thanks for your help!
YoungHouseLove says
Just the vinegar alone for the first wash. All subsequent washes can be done with your regular detergent. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Jacqueline says
For any peeps in Australia wanting that pillowcase, I stumbled across it in Spotlight yesterday (I thought it looked familiar when I saw it!).
Nicole says
So I know this post is old, but random question for you. Do you recal what type of waterproof blanket you got from BBB? Any links you could provide would be great! I’m having a terrible time finding something, and like you — I’m worried about my water breaking in random places (in the car, on the couch, etc) and would just like to protect my things. Thanks for the help!
YoungHouseLove says
We don’t recall at all so we can’t hunt down a link but it was something we found in store (not online). Good luck!
xo,
s
Melissa Kay says
Thanks so much for recommending the iHome ipod dock. We finally bought one, and I love it! Everything else we’ve seen is black or silver, and I adore this little white cube. Thank you for all of your fabulous home advice!
Sally G says
Since it’s been a while since you received it, how do you like your iHome iPod dock?
YoungHouseLove says
We love it so much that we even travel with it! Maybe I’m superstitious, but I think it’s one of the keys to why Clara sleeps like a champ!
xo,
s
Brooke says
I LOVE the DIY baby book, and I’m planning to make something similar as a “Grandmother’s Book” to surprise my mom at Christmas (if all goes well) about the upcoming arrival of her first grandchild.
I’ve got a couple of little detail questions for you. What did you use to stick the printed prompts onto the decorative paper? Glue stick? Double-sided tape? And did you print them on cardstock?
Thanks so much for the inspiration!
YoungHouseLove says
Yup, we printed them on cardstock and used loops of tape (double stick tape would work too- or glue stick). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Stacy says
Sherry,
Do you remember where you read the tip about washing non-organic clothing with vinegar?
Thanks!
Stacy
YoungHouseLove says
It was in this book: https://www.younghouselove.com/2009/12/calm-cranky-might-be-your-walls/
In general, it was a pretty good read!
xo,
s
Stacy says
Thank you! :)
Kerri says
I had a baby in March (was due May 5th, but she came 6 weeks early), so she’s at the “needs to be more stimulated” stage and I feel like jamming to some tunes when I get her ready every morning might be fun. Do you use the iHome speaker system often? I’m thinking of taking the plunge for her room, but I don’t have a lot of space.
Also, Clara is absolutely adorable. It’s so fun to watch her grow on your blog along with my daughter. :)
Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
We use it every night to play white noise for her. She’s a great sleeper so we even travel with it- just to make sure it stays that way when we’re on the road! We definitely recommend it.
xo,
s
katie holland says
Quick question regarding washing the baby clothes with vinegar. Do you do this separately or with the laundry detergent? THANKS!
YoungHouseLove says
Just alone. First wash only. Then it’s back to our eco-detergent and no more vinegar. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Lee says
Hi Guys!!
Are you able to give me any details regarding the itunes albums you have for the white noise?
I would dearly love to know :)
Thanks so much!!
YoungHouseLove says
I think it’s called something like “Natural White Noise For Babies” with a sleeping baby on the cover. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Melanie says
I regularly follow your blog and am totally in love with it, but I keep coming back to the same issue… I HAVE to know where you found the bedding in all of your “first house” master bedroom pictures? I’m obsessed!
YoungHouseLove says
West Elm a while back (but maybe try ebay now?). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Deborah says
Clara is the most adorable baby! I love looking at her weekly photos! :) I was wondering if you have been using the white noise machine? I have a four month old, and we’re trying to help him sleep through the night. My concern with a white noise machine is that he’ll get addicted to it and won’t be able to sleep without it. What are your thoughts? Do you use it every night and for naps? Do you leave it on all night or just til Clara falls asleep? Last question, can the ipod dock stay on as a night light with just one color, or does it always cycle through colors? Thanks again!!! Love love love your blog!
YoungHouseLove says
Yes, we still use the white noise machine. It’s just part of our night routine (it does seem to wind her down and she sleeps like a champ) but not for naps. We have traveled without it (and she naps in the car and on walks without it) so it doesn’t seem addictive, just soothing when it’s there. We do tend to leave it on all night, but occasionally we’ll lose power for a second (old neighborhood) and it’ll shut off, which doesn’t seem to bother Clara. As for the light, you can keep it off, solid, or let it cycle through all the colors. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Amanda Stoker says
LOVE the memory album. I’m so technical, but curious as to how you placed the white self-made pages onto the scrapbook paper? Did you use the corners they sell? Glue? Tape?
YoungHouseLove says
I just used double stick tape on the back for a clean look.
xo,
s
Amanda says
Now that Clara’s almost 1…do you use the iHome dock pretty regularly for her? Do you turn the ambient light on at night? I’ve been reading about all the gadgetry out there for babies and am trying to sort through what’s worth it and what we can go without on. How are the cloth diapers holding up almost a year later? We’ve ordered fuzzibunz but I think they’re along the same lines as the bum geniuses you guys have.
Thanks for all the inspiration!
YoungHouseLove says
Yup, we still use it every night for white noise (even when we travel we bring it, which comes in handy when other babies wake up and cry in the middle of the night since it drowns it out so Clara doesn’t wake up). But we don’t put the light on anymore. Clara likes a dark room. Haha. It’s how she sleeps best. As for our diapers, they’re amazing. We still have the same 12 we ordered over a year ago. Never got any more or needed any more and they still look mint and smell great and work well. Best money we ever spent.
xo,
s
AliciaS says
Hi! I’ve been reading your blog for years and now that I’m pregnant with my first, I’m returning to some of your old posts for tips and tricks! Just curious since I looked around the site and couldn’t find it, where can I find the PDF version of the baby book you created for Clara? Such a wonderful idea!! Thanks for your help!!
YoungHouseLove says
That’s over here for ya: https://www.younghouselove.com/2010/06/something-free-five-lifesavers/
Good luck with everything!
xo,
s
Essie says
If you already were asked this and answered sorry to ask again but when you washed the baby clothes in vinegar did you also add detergent too? Or was the first wash for the non-organic clothing only done with vinegar? Did she wear the clothes post-vinegar-washing and then you washed them with detergent? Alot of vinegar in this post! lol
YoungHouseLove says
Just the first wash of non-organic clothes – no detergent added. Hope it helps! And yes, she washed them after the vinegar, no smell or issue (we understand it’s a pretty basic cleaning ingredient so since things get a rinse cycle and fully dry it’s hopefully not an irritant).
xo,
s
Essie says
Ahh just scrolled up and saw 2 people who asked this same thing — you can ignore my question, I found my answer! Thanks!
Karen says
My kids (a baby and toddler) sleep with fans in their rooms. I need to replace my toddler’s CD player, and I remembered this old post regarding the using an ipod as a noise machine. I am wondering if you’d advise me to get an ipod to replace both the CD player and the fan.
Do you continue to use the “ipod as noise machine” throughout the night? Do you use the “repeat” function, and if so, does the noise stop for a moment when the track finishes and begins to repeat?
Thanks! You’re always so gracious and patient to answer everyone’s questions!!!
YoungHouseLove says
Yup, we still use it for a noise machine and at night and also to play some of Clara’s favorite kid songs during the day. At night we just put the noise machine CD on repeat (it has about 8 tracks that just stop momentarily between songs but it doesn’t seem to phase her).
xo,
s
Patty says
I am interested in purchasing the ihome for our nursery, but on amazon there were quite a few bad reviews and complaints. Just seeing if it still works great for you and Clara. Also, what kind of bottles did you use for Clara? AND lastly, do you still love your wal-mart crib? Who knew that crib shopping could be so exhausting (next to car seat and strollers). There’s so many products, and so many opinions – but I’m interested in your thoughts/experiences. Thanks so much!!
YoungHouseLove says
We haven’t had any issues with our iHome. Only complaint would be that it’s not the most portable speaker I’m sure we could’ve bought. We also still love the crib! And Clara never actually took a bottle so we don’t have a straight answer in that department. Good luck!
-John
Mel@MySunshine says
Hi there! I know you guys did this forever-ago but I’m about to have baby#2 and want to do your DIY baby book project. My questions are: how did you attach your card stock to the album? Is it a 3 ring binder-type album or are there special page connections? Was the album empty when you bought it?
Thanks for your help and inspiration!
YoungHouseLove says
Our album was a scrapbook album, so it was meant for that. It has big plastic sleeves you just slip the paper into (from Michael’s in the scrap booking aisle)! Hope it helps.
xo,
s
Beth says
Hi. Great blog post! Just wondering how the docking stations worked out for you. Did you end up using it as a light machine much? I’m working on my registry now and love the idea of anything multi-purpose to save space & money!
YoungHouseLove says
We did use it as a light machine for the first few months of Clara’s life (it was great for sneaking in to do those middle of the night diaper changes without having to turn on the overhead light). Some of the colors are pretty dim, but the yellow and white are bright enough!
-John
Cat Dobson says
So I know this post is old (as Clara’s going to be 2 years old in a couple months!!), but as I’m only just now on the baby train I’ve rediscovered this whole section of your blog! I just had a quick question about the vinegar – do you remember if you just used it alone, or with detergent? Thanks so much!
YoungHouseLove says
Alone for the first wash. Then we just used regular detergent (without vinegar) for every wash afterwards.
xo,
s
melanie says
Hi, love your blog. When you washed the baby clothes/things with vinegar, did you use detergent as well? Or just the vinegar? If you used detergent, what kind did you use? Charlie’s?
Thanks for the tips
melanie says
Oops. Sorry for the redundant question. I just looked and saw the previous question was my question too.
However, did you wash once with vinegar only, then wash with detergent before she wore the clothes, etc.? Or did you wash with vinegar and then when the clothes were dirty, start washing with detergent.
Also, did you start out with Charlie’s on clothes/blankies, etc.?
YoungHouseLove says
I just washed anything for Clara (clothes and blankets, etc) the first time with vinegar to strip out any extra dye or yucky stuff and then used detergent every wash beyond that. Hope that helps! We washed everything in our house (sheets, our clothes, blankets, Clara’s clothes) with the same detergent so nothing she came into contact with would irritate her – so it was either Charlie’s or Seventh Generation Detergent (both of which we’ve had luck with). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
katie vowels says
so glad i remembered that you guys had this color changing ipod dock! just added it to our baby registry! thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
So glad!
xo,
s
Chelsea Wilson says
Wow, I wish I had known about the pretty pillow case tip a year ago. I hate the ugly brown pillow in the background of all of my delivery/hospital photos!!
Danielle says
In case you weren’t aware, and you ever need it, RIT makes a powder that removes the ‘oops I dyed it again’ color-bleed in the washer misktakes! It can be used on whites and colored items :) I get mine from Amazon in a 25-pack, as it takes 2-3 boxes per mistake.
YoungHouseLove says
Smart! Thanks!
xo,
s
Emily says
Thanks for ALL of the info ALWAYS! I like tip #6. Did you wash in the machine(cold and air dry) or by hand? Any more advice on this? I would like to do this before my first little one arrives in September.
Thanks,
Emily
YoungHouseLove says
We just machine washed and tumble dried :)
xo
s
Christine says
Hi Sherri, sorry for writing on this post so late, but I know you’ll check it! Do you remember where you got Burgers “big brother” shirt? It’s adorable! Congrats on baby #2!
YoungHouseLove says
We got that from t-shirt deli. I think if you google them it comes up :)
xo
s
Katie says
Just curious, do you still wash any of Clara’s new clothes for the first time with vinegar? Just wondering if this habit stuck or if it was more of a new parent/new baby thing.
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yes, I still do her clothes in vinegar for the first wash and have done it for all the babies. It’s so cheap to keep a big bottle of it up by the washer and dryer, so it’s just sort of second nature to remove the tags and run a vinegar load and then put it back in the cabinet until we get another batch of new clothes later.
xo
s