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.
Liz says
On Thanksgiving, when asked what I was thankful for, my answer was “heated seats.” They are, in my opinion, the best invention known to man.
YoungHouseLove says
So funny!
xo
s
Catherine says
Newbie mama here and just found your website through a link Ergobaby posted on their FB site! We love the Levana video monitor! I almost told my husband we didn’t need it and to just exchange it for just am audio one, but he mounted our cam on the crib itself and it’s awesome because with all the noise and sounds our little one makes at night, we can actually see when we need to get up to go to her or when she’s just grunting in her sleep! Best of luck with baby #2! Ours is just six weeks so a bit too soon to start thinking of a follow up LOL I look forward to reading more about your new adventures!
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks so much Catherine!
xo
s
jessica H says
I hope this isn’t too insensitive of a comment but I wanted to know how you feel about the delivery/hospital process, since the last time was so scary for you guys. Sending good vibes your way!
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks Jessica! I think I’m going into it with a decent amount of fear and worry (seems normal since my experience with Clara was so scary) but I also have a lot of faith in the awesome docs and I really appreciate the fact that I now know what feels right (and wrong) so I’ll hopefully know what’s going on if I have another abruption (my docs are on high alert as well). Just feeling the bun move around gives me a lot of reassurance these days, but I won’t lie, I’m still very nervous about delivery day. Hoping for a completely uneventful c-section with a healthy little man at the end.
xo
s
Lauren @ Faith and Macaroni says
Awesome! We’ve only got one (for now), but love our KeyFit (just recently got a NextFit on deep discount) and we also love our sound machine. If it’s the same one we have (I think it is), I love it. The range of sounds is great and even though it’s usually on the lowest sound setting, it does a great job of muffling noises. Amazon Mom is definitely on my lifesavers list. The subscribe and save feature is amazing not just for diapers and wipes, but all of our little household things – especially bulky items that are hard to wrangle with a six month old. I got a diaper voucher on Zulilly for Honest diapers, so I hope they’re as great as everyone says. Praying for a safe delivery – I can’t believe it’s so soon!
Kelly Kristensen says
Hey guys,
Just googled your new ride and saw that there’s a recall! Just wanted to give you a heads up!
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks Kelly! We’re thankfully a-ok!
xo
s
Leigh says
I haven’t put too much thought into what we’ll use/redo with baby #2 but I’m not due until July 1st so I have a little time. I sure hope my #2 is a better sleeper than his big brother! My 2.5 year old has never been a good sleeper and still isn’t. I don’t know if I can handle two that don’t sleep. Honestly I don’t know how I handle the one! I guess I am just so tired I forget I’m tired. I’ve heard so many wonderful things about honest diapers but my son is allergic to wheat and corn (among many other things), which are used in their products, so for us, the chemicals in regular diapers are safer. They really do have super cute patterns.
YoungHouseLove says
Oh no, that’s a bummer about the allergies! My dad was allergic to tons of stuff but outgrew some of it. Hope your little one does too!
xo
s
Melissa K says
We LOVE the new BG Elemental design! We only had 3 of the old that were given to us by a family member (used), but we just bought 12 more of the discontinued colors in the new (we have 10 pockets and 24 of the new Elementals now). Everything about them is easier, we haven’t had any blowouts or leaks, they are trimmer, and they dry much faster.
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks for the tips Melissa!
xo
s
Andrea S says
We had a sling that we absolutely loved –best invention ever! We got a Highlander w/back-up camera last summer, and it’s my favorite car yet. We splurged to get the camera, which my husband was NOT into, but I have loved it! Love that extra sense of security it gives me in clearing the region right behind the car. My son loves it b/c he has his own air controls. We got a hanging organizer from 31 and he is allowed to bring whatever he can fit in those pockets. What a difference from having small toys all over the back seat! Since you’re having a boy, make sure to read up about diapers that work for boys — there really is a difference in how the padding fits. And we found the best way to avoid getting sprayed was to just keep a little kids washcloth on the changing table, and put it right over him while we were getting the next diaper or his clothing ready. I can’t wait to read your observations about the differences between boys and girls!
Emily B. says
New car! That’s awesome. We sprung for a Chrysler Town & Country minivan when baby #2 came along. Best decision ever! A minivan would have been great with all of your DIY ventures!
Penny says
I love the video monitor! No kid but a nephew I babysit a lot. For one, it’s fun to see and hear him sometimes in the morning just talking to himself. But especially for me it’s handy to be able to determine if I need to get him when he wakes up or is crying. I can watch and see if he’s up or laying down or truly upset or not. I can also see him breathing which is comforting (the camera is right over his crib not on a different wall). He even calls it “his” camera now.
Mariah says
I mostly use BumGenius diapers, but those Honest Co. ones are SO awesome. Skulls & Crossbones? For my little princess? Yes please!
Stephanie says
I’m probably not the first person to write this, but on the news the other night, they said to beware of infant hearing damage caused by sound/white noise machines. They’re not that loud to us, but baby ears are very sensitive. If you use one, be sure it’s not too loud. (You could find more on NBC’s web site.) (:
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks Stephanie!
xo
s
Charlotte says
We reused our cloth diapers (Also Bum Genius) with our 2nd child. They saved us sooo much money. We did do disposables at night, however, as our kids tend to pee… a LOT at night.
We did have to get a new car seat for the baby, because our son was still in his Britax Boulevard. Heck, he still had a few pounds to go, when we recently upgraded him to a booster at 4 1/2 years of age. Our daughter also got a Britax Boulevard, as we were happy with that seat.
We have only recently turned off our baby monitor, after 4 1/2 years of service, listening in to 2 kids. We couldn’t afford a video one, so just went with sound. Worked for me. When our now 2 1/2 year old started using the monitor as a microphone to bark her commands into (I NEED SOCKS! I’M THIRSTY! I NEED TO GO PEE!!) we turned it off. :P
We did keep the crib in our bedroom the first few months with our 2nd one, because that was more comfortable for me, with breastfeeding and all that. Plop her in bed with me, feed, sleep, plop her back in crib. Still mostly asleep. :P
Ironically, now that they are older, they are sharing a room, and loving it. :) Now I’m just trying to come up with ideas for keeping their shared room tidy…
Casey says
Congrats on the new car, that is awesome! I’m so excited for you guys. :) I could not have survived without the Angel Care monitor, I recommend it to everyone–completely loved it! Our second son (now about to turn three) was so much like our first that I still tell people I feel like I had the same baby twice. As far as I can remember, we did everything the same at first and then made tweaks as necessary. It’s just so nice the second time to know what you’re getting into. :) I remember my husband saying “bring it on” when I went into labor, we were so much more confident!
Elizabeth says
I am so beyond excited that you bought a new car! every time I read about a trip to a Home Depot or you were at a cool second hand store I wished you had a biger car to take home all your treasures.
Instant relief from all that anxiety I was having, unnecessarily, on your behalf.
Toyota for life!
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, thanks Elizabeth!
xo
s
Erin says
I have the same double stroller and we love it! We also religiously use our sound machine, and when our twins were little the ergo or sling as well. Thanks for the tip about the monitor, love that idea of hiding it!
Jackie says
A new car was one of the first things we had on our wishlist once we found out we were expecting. Especially with all the long car trips we quickly realized we’d need a third seat what with the dog and two in car seats! I’m glad to see it wasn’t just us thinking crazy and that an upgraded car just makes sense.
Rachael says
We recently had our second boy (3 weeks ago!) And lucky along with the crib/changing table, I saved a ton of clothes! For done reason 4 years ago I must have known the next kid would be a boy! Dont forget to purchase the small stuff, bottles pacifiers washclothes etc…. good luck, cant wait to hear about your new little man!
Melissa K says
Another thing about your diaper plan… We did Honest diapers until she fit into cloth. I LOVE them, but I feel like we went up sizes faster than babies her age that were bigger than her. I did a split bundle for our first order of 4 packs newborn and 3 packs size 1s and this was probably good (she was born at 7 lbs even). I did end up getting 3 more newborn packs, and then sent two of them back and exchanged them for a larger size (free of charge… they sent me a shipping label and shipped the new size out that day, before I even got to the post office). We were in size 2s by the time she was 12 lbs because she was having blowouts and leaks in the size 1s. None of this was a problem, but I had to adjust my thinking as to when we needed to move up in sizes!
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks for the tip Melissa!
xo
s
Candace says
aww yay for baby #2!! The first one is such a romantic experience, so many sweet moment and “firsts” but the second is so unlike the first, in many awesome ways. My first boy was so high maintenance (cried constantly), so when our second son came along I had all our “props” ready to go, but he was so chill we used to joke that someone needed to check his pulse. He could have cared less about anything we had ready to go. And we had the addd bonus of an older sibling (who was two at his birth): built in entertainment!! the baby was more satisfied watching his big brother play than anything we could sit him in or prop him up in front of. But either way, you sound ready to go!! Enjoy it!! My boys are now 8 and almost 6 and while I miss the baby days, they are so much fun and they are thick as thieves. So those days where it feels like the movie Groundhogs Day (same day, never getting it right) just remember IT GETS BETTER! I PINKY PROMISE!! Good luck!!
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks Candace, you’re so sweet!
xo
s
Pat S says
Wow, you guys are always right on target with everything. I’m always SO impressed by what I read here and I’m always telling people about your blog.
I was very happy to hear that Burger rides in a crate. It makes me crazy to see people riding around with their dogs loose in the car. Do they not understand how dangerous that is? Not just to the dog, but to the people in the car. Anyone reading this that doesn’t believe it, google around a little and get the facts!
And the other thing I picked up on was the fact that I really need to go find that ipod that I bought and never used because I wouldn’t mind some “sleep” music myself. lol
Clara, the Barnacle, and Burger are very lucky to have landed you two as their family.
Shadlyn says
Having watched a number of my friends become both first- and second- time parents, I’ve started using the term “bait baby” to describe well-behaved firsts. They bait you into thinking you can manage another without missing a step. Ha!
Good luck with the new kiddo; I hope he’s as sweet and easy-to-care-for as Clara. Either way, though, congratulations on the new addition-to-be.
YoungHouseLove says
Haha! Bait baby is so funny!
xo
s
Amy Barlow says
You will love your Highlander. We have 2! I wish I had them when our kids were younger. We did the mini-van thing, like every other other family, and I hated it. The Highlander handles like a dream, and we love that how easy it is to pop the seats down if I’m at a Flea Market or Lowes!
I’m 48, and 25 years ago cloth diapers were NOT in..I forged ahead and used them anyway. I’m so glad I did. I always felt that cloth diapers must feel so better to baby’s skin than disposables.Plus,my conscience was eased just a tad knowing that I was not contributing to the landfills by filling it with dirty diapers…Yuck! I used diaper covers with velcro as the outer lining..so easy..no pins, just tuck the diaper in the lining.. Hint: Dreft laundry soap made them smell wonderful when they came out of the wash!! Anyway,Glad to hear you are using them! I still have most of mine..now they make great dust rags!
You’ll be surprised how different your babies will be..Our oldest son was a terrible sleeper and had colic..our second could sleep through a tornado..our 3rd seemed like he never slept, but was hardly ever fussy..go figure. They are all still very different today, but the best thing is they are all great young men, who love each other and have great futures ahead of them.
I have enjoyed watching your family grow. Blessings to you as you wait with joy for your new baby boy! By the way, I think boys are so fun, I’m sure you will too!
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks so much Amy!
xo
s
Jennifer says
I’m in the market for a new car soon and noticed your second row has captain chairs. Is the space between them, the aisle, big enough to walk back to the third row? I have three kids and the one that sits in the back has to climb over the second row seat. This would be awesome to find an suv that functions like a minivan on the inside. Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
Yes, we can walk back with the captain’s chairs instead of climbing over, so that was a big selling feature for us. The middle seat is super tiny so it seemed better for us to have that pass-through.
xo
s
Angell Stödberg says
We have used Honest diapers for our youngest since she was 2-months-old. She is 10-months-old now. We absolutely LOVE them!
Joanna says
After browsing ALL comments I didn’t notice if anyone asked how you decoded on the Levana Lila? Knowing your record for research as well as being budget friendly, I would love your insight! We used the “iBaby” after receiving it as a gift and enjoyed it. But now expecting #2 and interested in finding a new set with 2 cameras. So far the Lila looks great!
But thanks for the awesome post! I’m another reader who discovered your beautiful blog with your Cloth Diaper posts the FIRST time around! And so glad I did. And thank you for your grace and patience after 1.2 million readers mentioned the sound machine article or car/car seat recalls. Hehe.
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks so much Joanna! John read a bunch of reviews on a few sites (like amazon.com and diapers.com) and it was nicely rated, so those reviews helped it stand out from a few others.
xo
s
Kate says
Please consider carefully whether you want to support Honest Diapers, either by purchasing and using their products, or by mentioning them on your blog. They don’t have a history of treating bloggers very well.
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks Kate! I had never heard of this (a few other bloggers recommended Honest along with readers and friends, so they seemed to have great customer service). Do you have a link or anything? I’d love to learn more!
xo
s
Natalie says
I am re-doing almost everything since we have little saved from baby number 1 (who is now 5)
Crib: My first crib was recalled. This time I got your crib (but in all white). I love how low it is. Hubs and I are not tall people.
Baby Carrier: I still have the Moby, but I found it cumbersome and hot here in Florida. I will probably use it for hands-free nursing around the house. But for outings I went with the Beco Soleil. I have tried the Ergo before and wanted something smaller and cuter. I saw a mom at the farmer’s market sporting the Beco and when I saw the Charlie print on their website I was SOLD.
Bassinet: I slept in the nursery when my daughter was small, or on the couch with her in the pack n play. I WISH I had had an Arm’s Reach Co-Sleeper. And it was mu number one must have for this baby.
Stroller: My daughter is a bit too big for a double stroller and I was not a fan on the whole travel system thing. This time we went with the Britax B-safe seat and The City Versa stroller with a nifty stroller board for our girl to hop on when she needs a break from walking.
6 more weeks! I can’t wait to use all this stuff!
Amanda @ Serenity Now says
Looks like a good game plan to me! I had baby #3 (finally, a boy!!) in December and we did a few things differently this time too.
We got a video monitor as a gift this time, and it has been amazing!! Ours also has an audio attachment that we can bring downstairs for nap times, and I use the video by my side of the bed at night to see if he’s just fussing a bit or really worked up. I think it will be nice for checking in on him as he grows.
We also do crib sleeping from the very beginning…I think it makes for an easier time getting them used to being in their room/sleeping through the night, etc.
I was surprised that I did have a few sleepers, onesies, and socks that belonged to my girls that worked for the boy too. Gotta love that unisex stuff for multiple uses!
The only thing I’d be worried about is the side by side double stroller. It can be tough to maneuver those down store aisles, through narrow doors, etc. We had a sit ‘n stand for all of ONE trip out before I realized it was not going to work for my then-two year old. We settled on a front and back Graco double stroller and it worked well for us. Now that it’s just the one baby and my girls are older, we are back to our old single Graco. :)
Having two (and three!) kids is so much fun. You all are going to have a blast! :)
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks Amanda! We don’t ever imagine we’ll use the double stroller indoors or at stores (it’s really just for those long hikes and trail walks, otherwise Clara is happy to walk and we’ll either wear the baby or push him in our single stroller). Here’s hoping it works!
xo
s
Alyssa Triviski says
We have two under two and we have been on the hunt for a double stroller (without spending an arm and a leg) for a while now and we are 99% sure that we are going to go with the InStep Safari double stroller. Have you guys used it yet? It’s not sold in stores so it’s always hard having to buy something without testing it out. Any input would be greatly appreciated!! Thank you!
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks Alyssa! We haven’t even opened the box yet, but we’ll keep you posted when we break it out! The reviews were generally really great for it, so that really helped us make the call (along with loving their version of the single jogger for the last few years).
xo
s
Tamara says
It’s funny the things you repeat or do differently with 2nd kids. There were some things we didn’t realize we needed to do differently until our second bambino was home. We actally intended to exclusively crib sleep him like our daughter did, but ended up borrowing a bassinet for a month or so and loved it for middle of the night feedings. He never took to the baby swing like she did though. Like you said, anything that helps you get through those newborn weeks!
We also have a Highlander, and I hope you love it as much as we do! It really is a great family vehicle for roadtrips! We travel with 2 kids and a Lhasa Apso and couldn’t be happier with our car choice. We’ve had it filled with family, and floor tile, and so many other things. Enjoy it!
Sheila F says
I will put in my 2 cents. LOL I think anything that makes your and your family life easier is a great idea. Many of us older Mommies did not have the fancy gadgets that are out today. But then my even older Mommy had less. Use technology to benefit your life. As an aside. I put each of my 4 children in their crib at 7pm after a feeding. Child #1 got up repeatedly through the night through the first 6 months. #2 slept 7-11 got one feeding and slept 11-8am. Baby 3 did sleep by my bed but only because she has a strange syndrome where she does not make noise when crying (very scary)she woke up 1 time per night to nurse. (She is 24 now and still does not make sound when crying and she laughs backwards. LOL) #4 slept in his room and woke 1-2 times per night. I always thought I had it pretty good. LOL But I would have loved a camera with baby #3! Enjoy you precious gift. And I hope restful nights for all of you.
thedogsma says
I know this is a baby post, but I did feel the need to make a comment about Burger sometimes riding on your lap. A dog that’s not crated can be killed by an air bag deploying, the same way a small child can be.
People quite often tell me they let their dog ride loose, because “he behaves so well in the car”. My response always is, “I behave in the car, too, but I always wear my seatbelt”.
It is a worst-case-scenario issue, but so are seatbelts & car seats.
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks for the tip!
xo
s
Shala says
I liked my sit and stand stroller. My kids are similar to your kid’s age split and it was perfect. Now that they are older I have a folding wagon. The most genius invention ever!
Rachel says
Nice move on buying the Highlander. We have three kids and I’ve been driving mine for three years. BEST. CAR. EVER! Just don’t plan on putting an actual human in the third row!!!:)
camille davis says
Yeah for cloth! We are still cloth diapering our almost 2 year old potty learning to start soon. Tots bots are my fav cloth diaper along with the OBGE. Not sure if we will be having a third.. but going from one to two seemed so much easier than the first. Congrats and I hope you have a safe and happy delivery!
SJ says
You guys have mentioned before that you plan on doing the Weekly Photo Project with baby #2 as well, and I’m just wondering if you’re thinking of sticking with the same white onesie, colorful fabric background, and photoshopped number or if you are planning on doing something different?
I totally copied your idea for our daughter (I showed it to you at the Austin book tour), and now we are expecting our second kiddo in June, so I’m selfishly looking for inspiration :). Can’t wait to see what you come up with!!
YoungHouseLove says
We’re thinking of doing something a little different this time but we’re still debating the specifics. I think once the bun is here and we take his first photo we’ll hopefully land on a final idea and then we can share the specifics!
xo
s
Aimee says
Hi, guys! Just curious- do you prescribe to the “be quiet the baby is sleeping” theory or the “keep noise at normal level so he will sleep through anything” theory?
Love how great the nursery looks!
YoungHouseLove says
The latter. Clara can sleep through a barking dog, a nail gun, and wild hammering (although she’s a little more finicky at naptime, but at bedtime we just go crazy and she’s down for the count- haha).
xo
s
Katie says
Thanks for sharing the list!
I hope the little guy is just a good sleeper as Clara, but here’s a suggestion from the trenches, just in case. Think ahead about what other options you’re willing to try if he’s not a good sleeper and don’t be afraid to try something else if the crib in the nursery isn’t working for you. My first was not a great sleeper but I stuck with sleeping in his crib for 6-8 weeks and was miserable. We ended up co-sleeping in our room for a while and I felt so more well-rested, I wished I’d done it sooner. (And we did not have any issues transitioning to the crib. Around 7 months old, he was just ready to have his own space.)
With number 2, I was prepared for the worst, but he’s already a better sleeper in comparison, waking twice a night at 3weeks old. We’re still starting out with him in a mini crib in our room, because I’ve found the less time I spend out of bed, the better I sleep!
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks for the tip Katie!
xo
s
Janet says
I used a similar changing table setup as you have (dresser + curved foam pad) and one thing I re-did with my second child was use towels as a changing pad cover. Forget about those pricey elasticized covers, I bought half a dozen super cheap, thin white bath towels and laid one across the top, tucking in the ends. Best thing I ever did – they’re affordable, super easy to wash clean/bleach but most importantly, you can remove and replace with one hand, in case of, um, well, you know. My second child was a boy and a new thing I did was to save my (how do I say this? Eek!) already worn, disposable nursing pads in a basket next to the changing table. They were perfect to slip inside the front of boy-o’s diaper before it came off all the way as a “shield.” Once the initial sprinkle was over, it was safe to remove and toss. We found out the hard way that little guys, um, anoint everything within range, including little sisters who are “helping!” :-)
YoungHouseLove says
That’s really smart Janet! Thanks!
xo
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Rachel says
Hi Sherry and John! Just wondering what your thoughts are on buying baby items second hand- what stuff will you buy used, what do you buy new?
YoungHouseLove says
We have definitely taken hand-me-downs from family and friends (like a high chair my mom used as a child, a borrowed Bumbo, tons of clothing/shoes/bathing suits etc), and even have bought secondhand items like a thrift store cradle that I fixed up for Clara. I haven’t had much luck with thrift store clothes (never seem to find stuff I love that’s much cheaper than an Old Navy sale) but I might not be going to the right places. I’d love to try a few new consignment stores for this guy and see what they have.
xo
s
Liz says
Congrats on the new car purchase! You’ll love having an SUV – so handy!
Katie says
I don’t know if you’ve seen this, but its parreetty cool…
http://www.anthropologie.com/anthro/product/home-room/27210285.jsp?cm_sp=Grid-_-27210285-_-Regular_34
YoungHouseLove says
Ahhhh, isn’t that crazy!? Makes me scream every time!
xo
s
Melissa M says
So happy you are going to try Honest products! I’ve been using them for almost a year now with my son and I love them! The healing balm works wonders not only for diaper rash but for the little bit of eczema he and I get.
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks Melissa!
xo
s
Edurman says
We have a 6 mo old and 4 yr old and are loving it. I hope the same to you guys. Some things that are different this time: we also love our carrier, but I find that I have less energy to carry the little one as much as our first – or I find I’m doing things, like cooking, that I wouldn’t want her in the carrier. I would suggest some good mobile seating so the baby can see you but you can still attend to things. It also helps keep the 4 yr old from crawling/stepping on the baby when I have to pop into another room for a second. Pre-birth, I was worried about the 4 yr old not allowing me to attend to the baby. So, I gathered materials for activities before the baby was born – crafts, games, sensory boxes, etc. It was helpful. The hardest thing has been running errands in winter with two kiddos. Since you’re not due in winter, you may not experience this problem. On nice days, I’d use the carrier, but on the cold ones, I would find myself in the grocery store with two carts in order to have the baby in the carrier in one cart and groceries in the other. Best wishes to you guys!
YoungHouseLove says
Such great tips! Thanks so much Edurman!
xo
s
Chanda says
I always thought video monitors were an ‘unnecessary’ baby item until we moved from our single story bungalow into our two story home (with full basement) before our 3rd came along. Now I’m not sure how we did without! We have the iBaby monitor that syncs directly with our iPhones and it’s so convenient and handy!
Elaine says
I’m curious about your Highlander. I have a 2008 which I love. With my third grandchild I will need to update to a vehicle with an easily accessible third row. Up until the 2014 this was not possible with three car seats in the 2nd row. Toyota said they made changes to make the 3rd row more easily accessible. Is that true?
Congratulations on the bun. If he happens to be a baby who dislikes the Ergo (my second grandson hated it) I recommend the Becco Gemini. Can be forward facing. Or rear facing.
YoungHouseLove says
Our Highlander is the kind with captain’s seats (no middle seat in the second row) so it’s easy to walk back to the third row between the two middle seats (even with car seats in each of them, without folding them down). We have only had it a short time, but so far we really like it! And thanks for the Becco tip. My best friend had one and loved it!
xo
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Anne says
Someone else may have commented on this already but just FYI: Cottonbabies (the company that makes Bumgenius) changed the design of the Bumgenius Elemental diapers. They’re still organic, but the design is very different and a lot of folks (including myself) don’t like them as much as the old ones. They recently had a limited-time re-release of the old style and it looks like there’s a few still available. If you want to add to your stash you might want to do it now!
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks for the tip Anne!
xo
s
Spiritmom says
Sherri,
If you are crying uncontrollably, you are “bawling”. If you are “balling”, that is something entirely different.
YoungHouseLove says
Oh my gosh, you’re right – how did my pregnant brain miss that? All fixed.
xo
s
Katie says
So I am addicted to your simple living post that talks about budgeting, its my inspiration post. I know you paid cash for your first car so I’d love to know if you did that for your second (if you are ok with sharing and in an updated post on budgeting:). Also, I think you might dig using a Dropcam as a baby monitor. We originally had one to see what our two Chihuahuas were up to during the day, but ended up loving it for our daughter when she was an infant. The app is great and I’d mirror it to our Apple TV when I was down stairs or pull it up on my laptop. We now own three of them, and use them for all kinds of things. And finally, I LOVE Honest dipes. So cute and they work way better than Seventh Generation. Although we used Bum Genius cloth dipes too.
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks for the Dropcam tip! Will have to check it out! As for the budget question, we’ve both always bought our cars in cash, so we savesavesave and then negotiate as much as we can. It also helped to trade in our Altima this time since the dealership gave us over BlueBook value for it (and of course just having one car at a time is easier on the ol’ wallet).
xo
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