Question - Nap Time

My daughter is 15 months old and, up until recently, was taking two 1.5-2 hour naps a day. She would get up at 7:30 and take a nap from 10:00 to 11:30 or noon. She would also take a nap from about 2:30 until 4:00 or 4:30. Then she would go to bed at 8:00. We've started putting her to bed around 8:30 now because of the sun not going down until later, however she's only taking one nap.

Now, she gets up around 8:00 and takes a nap anywhere from 10 to 1:00 and it's usually for about an hour and a half but sometimes goes up to 2 or even 2.5 hours.

Is there anything I should know about nap times around this age? I'm 6 months pregnant and that second nap in the afternoon was really helpful for my own sanity. I just don't want to take her naps away too soon or too late.

Thanks!
Lacey Asher

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If you have a product review you would like posted or a topic you would like to have discussed please email me at momblogclub@gmail.com. I will be updating the blog every Monday, Wednesday and Fridays with new topics. Please email me so we can start talking about things that are important to you!!!

What kind of day are you having?

I guess I should also start by introducing myself. My name is Casey and I live in Western Washington with my husband of almost six years and my two boys (ages 3 and 4 months). I used to be a middle school science teacher, but gave it up to stay home with my boys and I've never regretted it. Though some days being trapped in a basement room of a 100 year old building with thirty 12 year olds does sound like a vacation. Obviously, there are good days and bad days as a mommy. I thought I would share some of mine.

Good Day: Wearing the same clothes all day without getting any spit, pee or poop on them.
Bad Day: Running of clean clothes for myself due to the above mentioned fluids (yup 4 month old baby poop counts as a fluid).

Good Day: The kids cry occasionally.
Bad Day: We all cry . . . at the same time!

Good Day: I get the laundry done and dinner cooked.
Bad Day: We run out of burp rags half way through the day (we go through 30 in 2 days) and I forget there is such a thing as dinner until 4:30.

Good Day: The 4 month old wears the same outfit for longer than an hour without it being covered in spit-up.
Bad Day: The 4 month old destroys an outfit before I can even get it fully on him.

Good Day: The 3 yr old takes a nap.
Bad Day: The 3 yr old sits up in his bed and plays and sings with his night-night bear during nap. He then proceeds to melt down repeatedly until bedtime.

Good Day: I get 6 hours of continuous sleep in a night.
Bad Day: I only get 6 hours of sleep in a night, but it is in 1 to 2 hour chunks!

Though any bad day can turn good when my 3 yr. old turns to me and says “I want to snuggle you Mommy. I love you sooo much!” or my 4 month old smiles and giggles when he sees me coming.

What are some of your good days and bad days?
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If you have a product review you would like posted or a topic you would like to have discussed please email me at momblogclub@gmail.com. I will be updating the blog every Monday, Wednesday and Fridays with new topics. Please email me so we can start talking about things that are important to you!!!

Slingin' Baby

Before I start my intended post, I thought I should introduce myself. My name is Monica and I live in Phoenix, AZ. In June my husband, Tim, and I will be celebrating our 5 year anniversary. We have two great boys, Matthew - 4 in July, and James - 13 months. I am lucky enough to be able to stay at home with them, and I LOVE my job. I am not an expert on mothering, I just really like what I do.

I thought that I would do a product review for our post today. First, let me warn you, I have never written a product review, let alone any review. I may or may not know what I am doing. So read at your own risk.

Something that I have sworn by as a mother is the HotSling. I received mine as a gift after my second son was born. Let me get the worst part out of the way, these bad boys run about 30 to 60 bucks, most range in the area of $48 to $60. Now take a deep breath and stay with me. I promise it gets better. You can find them used or new at ebay.com at starting bids of $2.25 and new at amazon.com for $38.99. But trust me, whether you spend $60 or $2.25, they are worth the investment.

One of the greatest things about this particular brand is that it offers many sizes, nine to be more precise. I don't know about you, but I tend to get a little busty during and after pregnancy. So to have the choice of 9 different sizes is great. Too many things are one size fits all, so it's refreshing to have several options. And who is this tiny person that they model sizes after anyway? I can guarantee that she is not the average size. I do suggest that you try on the HotSling with your baby before purchasing it. This way you are ensured a comfy fit. How much room your little one takes up matters more than how much room you take up.

Photo courtesy of hotslings.com

This is the exact sling I have, in case you were dying with curiosity. Mine just might be a size or two bigger.

I was a little intimidated at first by how difficult the process of putting-on and putting-in-baby could be. The HotSling comes with an instructional booklet and DVD. Whoo! And once you read the instructions, it is seriously the easiest process. But not everyone is like me, so you might be able to figure it out on your own in like, 2.5 seconds.

The slings come in a great variation of patterns, so you have lots to choose from. They also come in 4 different styles; designer, everyday, reversible, and for the earth friendly mom, organic. I'm considering the organic for my next bundle of joy. And no, that was not an announcement.

I started using my HotSling as soon as I got it. James was about 12 weeks old. If I had had it sooner, I would have used it from his birth. Before I had the sling, James would get upset in any store, and I would always end up leaving well before I had intended. He hated to sit in his car seat, and would let me and everyone else in the vicinity know it. Also, because the car seat took up the seat in the cart, Matthew was left to roam freely. This is something that no 3 year old should be allowed to do, especially in Target. I can barely handle that on my own. So I was pushing a cart, carrying a baby, and chasing a wild child around. Needless to say, my shopping trips became more and more stressful and less enjoyable. Then I received my sling. Cue the hallelujah music. When I went shopping I put the sling on, plopped James into it, Matthew got the seat in the cart, and we were good to go, sanity and all. When we went out to dinner, rather than having to hold James on my lap, I'd sling him. He happily sat there, and I could actually eat. In my church I was in charge of putting on monthly dinners and classes for the women. When James had to tag-a-long, the sling came out. I was able to get everything done that I needed to. I literally used the HotSling for everything; shopping, entertaining, cleaning, cooking, family outings, airports, and so on. It was a sad, sad day when James outgrew it. I squeezed every ounce of use out of it, and it's still just as good as new.

Although I love the HotSling, it might not be for you. Pick what you are comfortable with. Nobody knows you better than... you. There are tons of "baby-wearing" (thanks for the term, Casey) products out there for you to choose from. Make the right choice for you. All I know is that I will for sure be using the HotSling with the rest of my kids. It makes my life easier, and so much less stressful. Any product that does that deserves a hug.

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If you have a product review you would like posted or a topic you would like to have discussed please email me at momblogclub@gmail.com. I will be updating the blog every Monday, Wednesday and Fridays with new topics. Please email me so we can start talking about things that are important to you!!!