Finding My People

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             Have you ever heard people talk about “finding their people”? I always thought this was some cheesy, mushy load of crap...until recently. I think I finally get it now...

             As adults and, in my opinion, especially as parents, it can be really hard finding and making new friends. Add in living in a new place where you don't know anyone and it can seem like a downright impossible feat. Even as an introvert, I have found myself reaching out more and more for people to connect with after I started having kids. After all, we all need a little adult conversation every now and then, right?

             Sure, I still have my friends from school that I still talk to and hang out with occasionally. But, most of them live over two hours away, so needless to say, the hanging out part doesn't happen nearly as much as I would like. Though I haven't been going to our playdate group meetups much, I enjoy talking to most of those ladies too, but I still feel like I have my guard up somewhat for whatever reason. Like I haven't gotten them quite pegged, so I'm not completely at ease with them, I guess you could say. There's also the other moms who take their kids to storytime/music and movement on Thursdays, but I've only talked to a few of them a handful of times, if that, and we've been going for 2-3 months now. Most of them are definitely not my type of people. I won't go into specifics on that.

             One of the ladies from our playdate group also happens to be in the local babywearing group and told me about it before I even had Ripley. (She was 5 months old on the 15^th! How is that possible?! Back to topic, though...) As with most things new to me, I had been wanting to go to one of their playdates for awhile, but kept putting it off. In hindsight, I wish I would have just gone sooner!

             I have only been to two playdates so far and really haven't met that many people in the group, but I feel like I finally found a place where I don't have to put on facades and can just be myself. I don't know what it is about them, but I just feel comfortable, which, again as an introvert, is extremely rare for me right off the bat. And as cheesy as it sounds, it's a good feeling. We all need people we can open up to and feel relaxed around, right?

             I definitely plan on making an effort to go more and can't wait to go to my first monthly meeting. To me it's just an extra bonus that these people can help me out with my baby carrier questions. Lol (I just got my first soft structured carrier, so I am in desperate need of some help!) I'm looking forward to the montly meeting to meet more people AND hopefully be able to try on some different carriers to get a better idea of what I like. I was so set on the idea that a SSC would make my life infinitely easier than the mei tai, but it is not love so far. But that's a story for a different post, perhaps.

             Moral of my story: Get out there, do things, meet new people, even if you're shy at first like me. Eventually you're bound to find ones you just relate to, right? Depending on your location and views/values you may have to search longer than others, but I think it's totally worth the effort. :)

             Where have you found people you can relate to as a parent? Are you part of a local group or online forum?

JumpSac Soft-Structured Carrier: First Impressions

             Hey folks! I'm excited to say I just recently purchased my first soft-structured carrier! I thought it might be fun to share my initial thoughts on it and compare them to what I think about it in my review after I've been able to try it out for awhile.

1. First of all, how cute is this? I love the print, especially with the nap hood attached. Plus, I like that it's not dark since we both get hot easily AND it's summer!
2. There are lots of little “doo-dads”. For someone who's never really used a SSC, it's kind of overwhelming how many different buckles and straps there are.
3. I like that there's a little pocket on the waistbelt...but I have a feeling I'll forget it's there.
4. The straps on my mei tai are pretty thin, so I'm digging the cushy shoulder straps and waist belt!
5. It seems to help take pressure off of my shoulders, compared to the mei tai, which I was hoping for.
6. I'm having kind of a hard time figuring out how to get it adjusted just right. I'm hoping it's just because I'm not used to SSCs. Hopefully I'll make it to the monthly meeting for our local babywearing group this Sunday so someone with experience can help me out!
7. The chest clip straps don't stay in place after taking it off and it's really annoying to have to fix each time I put it on.
8. I'm not entirely convinced I will be able to clip the nap hood into place without help...which I guess is ok for now because Ripley HATES it...Which makes me sad because that was one of the reasons I wanted this. I think this is more of a “my arms don't move that way” than an issue with the carrier design, though. Ha ha
9. Unless I position the carrier up high, Ripley hates the whole thing altogether too because she sits too far down for her liking. It's not like I've got a long torso either. I'm 5'3”, for God's sake.
10. This kind of goes along with #6, but I'm having a really hard time getting the shoulder straps to where I don't feel like they're just going to slide off.

            Be sure to stay tuned for my full review in a month or so! To learn more about JumpSac carriers in the mean time, be sure to visit their site.

Mei Tai Baby Carrier Review

             Hey folks! It's been awhile, but if you've read my previous babywearing-related posts, you'll already know that I really want babywearing to work for us. Both because it's easier with multiple kids and for the snuggle factor, especially since this will probably be our last baby. Now that I've thrown the evil stretchy wraps to the wayside, the mei tai carrier I'm borrowing from a woman in our playdate group has really been a game changer. So, I thought I would give credit where credit is due and share about our experience with it along with some pros and cons if you're in the market for this type of carrier.

             Mei Tai Baby (MTB) offers, you guessed it, mei tai carriers. If you're not familiar with this style of carrier, they are kind of like a cross between a wrap and a soft-structured carrier (SSC). They are similar to wraps in the way that you have to wrap it around your body and tie it, but like a SSC without buckles because it has less fabric than a wrap and skinnier straps. 

             MTB carriers have a lot of perks, including:

-Good price point. At $79, they are about mid-range from what I have seen for mei tais. I have seen Infantino ones and one other brand I can't remember for cheaper, but many other brands for much more.

-I'm not sure if they still offer it or if it is just currently unavailable, but they have tons of really fun color and print options to build your own carrier! They have ready-to-ship models as well.

-Machine washable. If you have one of these, you likely have kids and quite frankly, who has the time or wants to go to the trouble of handwashing something amiright?

-Not NEARLY as hot as wraps! (At least the stretchy ones I am accustomed to.)

-They are a good option for fluffy girls like me. I found a lot more leeway with the shoulder and waist strap length on the Mei Tai baby than I did even with the Wrapy and Boba stretchy wraps I have. There is plenty leftover after tying!

-It comes with two snap tabs near the bottom of the seat on the outside to cinch it together for smaller/younger babies to get a better fit, if needed.

             What I was left longing for:

-A sleep hood. This is the biggest thing for me. It's not a big deal when we're using the carrier outside since I put a sun hat on Little Bit anyways, mostly to keep bugs off, but it would come in handy when we're out and about running errands or going to playdates.

             I also wish the back weren't quite so high. Height-wise, I think it would be better suited for an older baby or toddler. But, from what I have heard from a lot of people, that is the point at which they usually end up getting a SSC anyway for the extra support. Since Little Bit is only 5 months old and only about 2 feet long, it took us awhile to figure out what to do adjustment-wise that worked for us. (Well, her, really.) 

Before we got adjustment figured out. 

             We first tried a rolled up baby blanket for her to sit on, but she was still sitting kind of low. Or at least lower than I think she likes since she likes to look around and has freakishly good back support for still being so young. My husband eventually suggested trying to fold the bottom a few times before tying it on around my waist and that seems to have done the trick finally!

             Honestly, that has been our biggest learning curve with the MTB carrier. For me, it wasn't that hard to learn how to tie it since I was used to the wraps and it's basically the same way. It took me a bit to figure out where to get the criss-cross of the straps in the back to where it felt good for me, but I think that's to be expected from person to person. Sometimes I would get them in a good spot, others it was a bit pinchy. I feel like I finally have the “sweet spot” figured out. There's also something to be said for not tying it too tightly! Obviously you want it to be snug for baby's safety, but don't overdo it, otherwise you won't be comfortable. 

 

             Overall I'm pretty happy with the Mei Tai Baby carrier. (Especially since I'm borrowing it for free! ;) ) All carriers are going to have at least a little bit of a learning curve. Even with ours, I still noticed both Ripley and I were a lot more comfortable right away than with the stretchy wraps. Now that I have her situated up to where she can look around better, she seems even happier! And you know what they say: A happy baby equals a happy mommy. (People say that, right?)

Much happier campers!

             Visit Mei Tai Baby to purchase your own carrier. You can also view their tutorial on how to wrap and tie it, which does a much better job to illustrate it than I probably could. ;) You can stay up-to-date with MTB on Facebook. 

I did not receive compensation for this post. This item, as mentioned, is being borrowed from a friend. I have no association with the Mei Tai Baby company.
 

Wrapsody Breeze Woven Wrap Giveaway

 

            Babywearing takes on many shapes and forms, and using woven wraps is one of the most versatile ways to wear your baby.  Woven wraps are long, narrow strips of woven cloth made from various textiles that offer different qualities on wrapping a child to their caregiver's body. Woven wraps do come with a bit of a learning curve, but with practice you can adapt the wrap so that you and your baby are comfortable. Most wraps are able to support baby from birth to toddler, so they make a great investment on your time in babywearing.  
            The Wrapsody Breeze is a lightweight woven wrap made of gauze cotton. The lightweight, breathable fabric is complimented by the beautiful hand painted batik design which makes each and every wrap completely unique! This wrap is perfect for babywearing in hot weather and throughout the rest of the year too! The Wrapsody Breeze comes in 11 colorways. 
            The Pierogie Mama and her sister in law love the Wrapsody Breeze Haumea, as her sister in law just moved to San Diego and was looking for a good wrap to wear her newborn in. Read why Haumea is a special wrap for expecting mothers and it gets 6 thumbs up!  
            Some things to know about the Wrapsody Breeze line: 11 colors available Cotton gauze making it a great lightweight warm weather wrap Use it to wear your baby on the front, back or side Hand batiked designs by a family in Bali. Has a self storing pocket on the end, making it easy to store in your diaper bag! three sizes: S/M, M/L, L/XL (lengths varying from 4.6 meters to 5.5 meters long) Now you can enter to win a gorgeous Wrapsody Breeze woven wrap in your choice of available colorway and size! See giveaway details in the widget below.
 

Entry-Form

Disclousure: This giveaway is hosted by The Pierogie Mama. It is not affiliated with Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest or any other social media platform. Participating bloggers are not responsible for prize fulfillment. Please email thepierogiemama@gmail.com with any questions regarding this giveaway or if you'd like to sponsor a future giveaway or blog post. Please see giveaway widget for full giveaway details and eligibility. 

Bring on the Babywearing!

             I've admitted it once and I'll admit it again: I have done things a lot differently with baby #2 than I did with baby #1. (Don't we all, though?) While I think most people do this without meaning to, I feel like I've consciously chosen to do things differently. Not necessarily because I thought we did things wrong with Myka, but because we both have a strong inkling that this is likely our last kid. (The very likely possibility of us having three girls if we had another baby scares the crap out of John and me. Can you imagine the teen years? * shudders *)