Announcing the Parentville Store!

We are proud to announce that Parentville has joined OpenSky, an innovative new way of shopping online, to launch the new Parentville Store! The mission of OpenSky is similar to that of Parentville – trusted recommendations from informed and credible people.  The Sellers at OpenSky are selected because of the stellar reputations and trust that they have built in their communities.  We are delighted to open our new store as part of the OpenSky community!

In the Parentville Store, you will find a handpicked selection of our favorite products as seen on Parentville.com, our blog, our Weekly Fave Five column on Rolemommy.com and in our weekly “Parentville Picks” newsletter!  All products in our store have been “parent-tested” firsthand by one of us and are among our most highly recommended items. 

Here are a couple of examples of the types of products that we’ve tested and “approved”:

Kleen Kanteen Sippy

BlindMice Socks

We hope you’ll stop by our new store in your journey through Parentville, and let us know what you think!

Bedtime for the twins!

With daylight savings on us (and a serious upheaval of the bedtime routine that “Mrs. ParentvilleDad” and I have worked so hard on establishing over the past 7 months), thought I’d take the opportunity to highlight the current bedtime routine that works for the twins and some of the products that we’ve found to be particularly helpful.  

6pm - 7pm — The (supposed) “Witching Hour  

From 6pm to 7pm, the boys should be going crazy — crying, fussing, etc. — because this is the “witching hour.”  Luckily, this isn’t the case with the boys.  My wife and I have lucked out that the twins are actually great babies during this supposed “witching hour.”  We usually play with them, feed them dinner and generally have a good time with their excitement of us being home.    

You can see my feeding post here.  Since that time, we’ve moved more into solids and have been feeding them both Plum Organics and making our own food.  I’ve also been letting them try some of my dinners and food (an idea I got from the book, Hungry Monkey by Matthew Amster-Burton). 

 
7pm - 7:35pm — The Real Witching (Half) Hour for the boys

So, at around 7pm, the boys start to get cranky… sometimes REALLY cranky.  Luckily for us, it’s only for about 30 minutes.  So, considering it’s half the time of a regular witching hour and there are two of them, that’s like getting a net savings of about 45 minutes of crying and fussiness. 

Sometimes, when the boys are particularly fussy (ok, I guess pretty often) we have to put them in one of their cribs to listen to music and watch one of several mobiles or crib entertainment systems that we own.  I’ve included some of the music we’ve been listening to, as well as info on some of the better crib entertainment systems and mobiles below.  Some are better than others, but I’ve found that variety is the spice of life (and seems to keep the twins happy too).

Music
Rockabye Baby - Bob Marley
Family Time - Ziggy Marley
Here Come the ABCs - They Might Be Giants
Snacktime! - BareNaked Ladies

Entertainment
Fisher Price Rainforest Mobile
NoNo wind-up Mobile
Underwater crib thing (Baby Einstein Sea Dreams Lullaby Soother)

 
Some parents let their kids watch TV at this time to get them to calm down… I read about a study in the book Pacify Me and then found the study.  Doesn’t look exactly conclusive, but I figure, why not keep TV off the roster of entertainment for the next few years.

7:30-7:45pm — Bath time

Bathing twins is fun… but it has a certain assembly line aspect to it.  My wife and I have gotten it pretty much down to a science… We use a toddler bath tub (by First Years) that is pretty good. But you have to kind of turn the kids around to get their backs.  And it doesn’t give as much room as some other tubs (or just using a regular tub). 

Nicole, one of the other co-founders of Parentville.com, wrote a post about bath time products here.

We use Johnson’s baby soap.  We love this baby soap.  I’ve bought several gigantic bottles of it and have had no regrets.  A few reason: The boys seem to love the taste of it, despite our best efforts to get them not to eat it and they love to rub their eyes with the suds, again, despite our best efforts.  But, they always seem happy regardless (no tears really works).  It’s also cost effective and hospitals use it.  It’s not organic or natural… but aside from the few random suds that they get past us, it’s not really ingested too often, so we’re ok with that.  We focus our organic purchases for things like fruits, veggies, dairy and, when they start eating it, meats.

7:45pm - 8pm: Bedtime!

We read Goodnight Moon, feed the boys one last bottle (we’ll phase that out eventually) and then it’s bedtime!

Luckily things didn’t get too messed up this past weekend!  If anyone has any ideas for bedtime activities, please feel free to comment.

Rest and Relaxation at Mohonk Mountain House

It’s interesting to see The New York Times article last week about vacations not leading to happier people.  People seem more stressed after they return from a trip.  I do see how this happens, but I think my trip this past weekend to Mohonk Mountain House in New Paltz, New York, seems to defy this.  It was on the short side, “sweet”, and easy to relax, even after returning.

Mohonk Mountain House is a fabulous resort founded in 1869.  Named in USA Today as one of the top places to relax your mind and body, it overlooks the Catskills and is only about 1 1/2 hours from New York City.  The “House” is a long castle with several buildings.  It offers all-inclusive, fabulous dining, and very good service, although the pricing on the weekend can get steep.  Weekday stays do offer are a better deal.  Although Mohonk does offer a day pass, to fully enjoy what the resort has to offer, you need a few days take it all in!

The food is fabulous - three course meals and tips included - and the desserts are spectacular.  Not to mention they have a continental breakfast that could pass as a buffet (comes before breakfast), and afternoon tea and cookies.  If you arrive after work on a Friday, they will even serve you until 10pm with a smile!  We went on Chocolate Weekend where each meal was carefully prepared with chocolate, including the soup, and a dessert buffet came after lunch and dinner.  Plus, there were presentations from famous chefs offering a peak (and taste) of their chocolate cooking secrets.

The relaxation and ability to get away from most technology and back to good food and service is well worth the price (yes, the cells still work well for your mobile and blackberry, and they do have a business center with three computers).  Mohonk’s quaint charm coupled with modern amenities and outdoor activities make you forget why you’d ever need a TV in your room!

This resort prides itself in its history of being eco-friendly, so it asks guests to conserve materials and energy, and it uses solar power to heat the pool and uses fresh farm ingredients from local land using sustainable farming practices, among other things.

We were lucky enough to get a room with a ceiling comprised of one of the towers with two private balconies - one on either side of the lake and valley, and it was breathtaking.  Looking at all the snow-covered trails, greenhouse and winding roads and forest was just as beautiful, coupled with the smell of a wood fireplace. This room had great space, and lots of light from the tower (note: bring an eye cover for when the sun rises!)

Mohonk has wonderful, historic dining rooms, studies, lounges for you to relax, and a nice gift shop to take something home. There are planned activities daily inside, plus they have a heated swimming pool, cross country skiing, outdoor ice skating rink, rock climbing, snow shoeing, and hiking in the Winter (you can rent equipment). They also have museum of old relics used to transport and entertain guests in the 1800s and early 1900s.  When it’s warm, you can try tennis, golf (a 110-year old course fashioned after St. Andrews), basketball, horseback riding.

I’d recommend taking kids age 5 and up, but there’s an all-inclusive kid’s club for babysitting for ages as young as 2.  It wouldn’t be a trip without mentioning the a fully-equipped gym and yoga room and fantastic 30,000 sq. ft. spa (one of Conde Nast Traveler’s 25 best in the country) with treatment rooms, verandas and outdoor sea salt jacuzzi ($20/day without a treatment scheduled).  Mohonk was kind enough to offer the signature Red massage - which was very relaxing and a nice “getaway” from reality.

This resort is well worth your while, and if you’re in the tri-state area, it is definitely a better bet than having to fly somewhere!  Mohonk also offers gift cards — a nice gift for new parents, or a baby moon for parents to be!

Feeding Frenzy! The Move to Feed the Twins “Solids”

Last week we started feeding the twins solids.  We made the move to “solids” at exactly six months.  I use quotes around the word solid because no one over the age of 2 (or under the age of 95?) should think of this stuff as “solid food.”  But alas, this is how kids move from only drinking formula/breast milk to eating regular food, so it had to be done.

So a quick list of positives and negatives after these first 10 days…

Pros

1) Entertainment factor — It’s funny watching kids try to eat for the first time

2) Interaction factor (for Dads and no-breastfeeding moms) – you’re much more involved with the feeding process then just sticking a bottle into his/her mouth.  (Obviously this doesn’t hold true for breastfeeding moms).

3) Sleep factor – Supposedly, once kids start on solids they sleep more.  This hasn’t been the case for my boys, but they’ve also had a cold, so I’m sure that’s playing a role.

Hmm… Looks like I’m already out of “Pros.”  You can imagine this has been a fun week.

Cons

1) Messy/Laundry factor – One thing to keep in mind…  The food gets EVERYWHERE.  Bibs or not, you’ll be doing a lot more laundry while they’re getting used to eating.  Either way, look at my bibs post/review below.

2) Tastes/Opinion factor – Ok, this could go either way.  We all want our kids to have their own opinions and taste, but it was much easier when they only had one thing to eat and they either ate it because they were hungry or didn’t (because they weren’t).  Now, if your kid isn’t a fan of pumpkin (or anything else), you’re likely not going to get him/her to eat it.

3) Poop factor – Solids lead to smellier poops.  And more constipation.  And more poop.  Ok.  Enough of that…. you get the idea.

4) Cost (time or money) factor – You will either have to spend a lot of time making baby food or spend a lot of money buying baby food. … But, there are some great products out there that aren’t too expensive and are good for your baby.

Despite the “Cons” outnumbering the “Pros”, I’d still say that solids have been fun and I’m enjoying watching the kids eat new things.

Baby Food

We started out with Rice Cereal from Earth’s Best Organic Rice Cereal.  My boys didn’t love the taste of this on its own, but it was useful in getting them used to having something more food-like in their mouth and we’ve been able to mix it with various fruits and veggies the thicken up the food (or make less sweet) as necessary.

We next tried ripe Bananas.  The boys liked these and we stuck with these for 5 days (as recommended).    It’s important to try one singular food at a time so that you can tell if any allergies develop.

We used fresh Bananas at first and then tried Plum Organics “JUST Bananas” .  The boys liked the Plum Organics as much if not more than the homemade.  I tried both and I wouldn’t say that either one is more or less sweet.  In fact, the packaging of the Just Bananas does make things much easier when you’re first starting out, since you don’t have to waste a full banana each time you want to feed your child.

We have also tried Avocado and Apples (in applesauce form) thus far.  Both of these have been home-made (or home-mashed, as the case may be) but we’re branching out to looking at some other food sources.

We’re also thinking of trying Relish! or The Healthy Pantry to see how that helps in meal planning for my wife and me.  Since we’ve been focusing mostly on the boys, we’ve been kind of throwing together meals for ourselves.

Utensils

We’ve been using a two-sided bowl to make sure that the boys are getting their own food (and to keep track of how much each eats).   It’s important to get BPA free and helps to have a non-skid bottom; also make sure all parts are microwaveable and dishwasher safe if you do either of these things.  There are a few bowl options recommended: Munchkin stay put bowls, and The First Years Meal Mates and Baby Dipper Bowl and Spoon set, plus Kinder-Ville’s set of products on Parentville.com.

We’re been using these spoons from NUK.  The boys seem to like these and they don’t lose as much of the food as when we tried with a few other spoons.  Either way, the food gets everywhere, but these seem to be easy to clean and easy to hold, so I like them.  Plus, NUK was founded by two pediatricians about 50 years ago, and they still use that same knowledge-base for testing, product design, etc, so I like these.

Bibs

As much as it was great to have nice bibs, etc when the kids were first born, my wife and I quickly realized what a waste that was… I would recommend buying a large, bulk pack of bibs like this so that 1) you can get rid of them if they get too gross or, 2) you can keep using new ones and hold off on doing laundry for a little while longer (see Con #1).  Or, you could just get these great Bumkin bibs and wash them out briefly, then you can also throw them in the wash (but not dry).

So, if you’re moving to solids anytime soon, good luck and let me know how things go!

Safety First - Convenience and Decor Second

I was just in the process of purchasing the child safety locks I posted below for my file and kitchen cabinets - again. The first go around they broke; it seems they can’t withstand the wear and tear that I give them every day opening and closing.  However, these are the most adjustable, flexible locks for cabinets that do not have standard knobs and for people who don’t want to drill holes.

The other suggestion I’ll make is making these in at least a few wood shaded colors. Why are most of the childproof pieces mostly white?  While it may prohibit the child a bit more from attempting entry, it stands out much more, especially when you have an open house and people are looking around carefully.

Last, the only major online store I’ve found that sells these two together is Buybuybaby.com.  Kudos to this store, as they also have a concise range of products that should fit nearly all your childproofing needs!

Mommy’s Helper Slide Latch

KidCo Adjustable Locking Strap

Live in NYC? Take a night off on us!

This month, we are offering New York City parents a chance to win free babysitting (5 hours) courtesy of College Nannies and Tutors!

We know how crazy city life can be — we live here too! Maybe you need to run an errand. Maybe it’s an unexpected meeting. Maybe you just want some time to yourself at the coffee shop.  Maybe you need a night out - without the kids.  College Nannies and Tutors’ Hourly, On-Call Nanny Service is the perfect alternative to trying to find another “babysitter”.

Nannies are screened thoroughly, and you will receive biographical and professional information as well as references. Check out our review here.

For a chance to win, simply sign up for a new Parentville account anytime in the month of January!  If you are already a member, just give one recommendation in the month of January and you can qualify too!

Note: To qualify for a chance to win you must live in New York City. (We will hopefully be able to offer this promotion to other areas in the future!)

Getting the boys to sleep! (and warming up for winter)

My twin boys just turned 4 months old and have recently found their thumbs/fingers/hands (yeah!).  My wife and I decided that maybe it was time to stop swaddling and letting them use their new-found appendages to soothe themselves back to sleep at night (vs us going in to replace pacifiers, etc).  It’s also winter, meaning that their room is a bit colder than it was over the summer. 

Due to all of these changes, we knew we’d need to make some edits to the sleep outfits and accessories.  With that in mind, I’ve pulled together a brief selection of some of the better sleep accessories that we’ve used over the past four months:

Sleep positioners

Secure Sleeper Ultra 3-in-1 Sleep Positioner by Dex

This was the first sleep positioner that we used with the boys.  They didn’t seem to mind it, but they did slide down a bit (since it’s on an angle).  We used it for about a month before going to a different one. It was good, but once they got to be above about 10 lbs, it seemed too small.

The First Years - Air-Flow Back Sleeper

This was the second sleep positioner that we used.  The boys didn’t seem to like this one as much.  Also, we tried to use it to keep them a bit on their sides (so their heads wouldn’t be flat) but they always managed to turn onto the backs with this.  It was easy to use though and they didn’t slide down (since there’s no angle on it).

Swaddles & Blankets

Aden + Anais Muslin Swaddling Blanket

These blankets are great.  They’re lightweight as a “single ply” but fold them over and they have enough weight to keep a baby semi-warm.  You can use them to swaddle (for the first while at least), to keep out the sun in a stroller, as a regular blanket or, if you’re playing and don’t want your kids directly on the ground, you can put them on the floor.  However, once your kids get strong enough, they’ll be able to break out of the swaddle and that’s when trouble comes.  Our boys 1) woke themselves up and 2) had the blanket over their heads (luckily this is a lightweight blanket and we caught this issue early).  We still use these blankets, but not for swaddling

Miracle Blanket *

Yes, the name of this blanket makes you think it’s manufacturers are a bit arrogant… I mean, “miracle”?   Well, they deserve the name.  We tried using regular blankets to swaddle our boys… then we used special “swaddle blankets” with mixed results (see above)… Then our friend recommended the miracle blanket.  As she put it, “It’s like a straight jacket.  But our son wouldn’t move, wouldn’t wake himself up and fell right to sleep.”  She was right!  This worked great.  It’s lightweight (so you don’t need to worry about overheating in the summer or spring) and it is pretty easy to use.  I also liked that you can use it in a few different ways (feet out, one arm tucked, the other free, etc).  This blanket was truly a miracle.

*Note: this isn’t a pic of either of my kids — I took this off of Amazon

Micro-fiber Swaddle Sleepsack™ by Halo

Once it got cold out, we figured we’d move to a thicker version of something similar to the Miracle Blanket… No such luck.  We tried the Swaddle Sleepsack and it was like a mediocre version of a sleepsack and a mediocre version of a swaddler.  Our boys didn’t like this at all and we nixed this one after a few nights.  I think the fact that their legs are covered with the sleepsack and that their arms are wrapped with the velcro-pads was too much for them.  

SleepSack™ Micro-Fleece Wearable Blanket by Halo

This sleepsack is great (and it’s what we’re currently using).  It gives the boys enough freedom to suck their thumbs (which is perfect for us too, as mentioned above) and is nice and toasty for the winter.  They have a non-fleece version that we’ll probably get for the summer.  I like the reverse zipper so that anything dangerous and metal is kept away from their face.  And the leg area is roomy enough that they don’t feel constricted.  Overall, again a good product im my opinion.

Keep an eye out for my next post on mobiles, crib CD players, other Crib baby-entertainment systems and whatever else can keep them busy during the witching hour!

A Great Bundle for Toddlers

We are giving away a VTech Toys Jungle Gym Giraffe with Fuji EnviroMAX Battery Bundle!

Parentville is offering one of our users the chance to give a special gift for the holidays from VTech Toys and Fuji EnviroMAX batteries!  All you have to do is register by Dec. 18 with Parentville to win.

Jungle Gym Ride & Learn Giraffe Bike

The VTech Toys Jungle Gym Giraffe and Fuji EnviroMAX batteries are both iParenting Media Award-winning products.   The more your kid pedals and moves, while improving gross motor skills, the more he (or she) learns! As your toddler pedals, he will learn letters, numbers and objects, plus hear music and “race” the animals via a choice of five modes of play on the LCD screen.

This bike includes an adjustable, kid-safe, bouncy seat with three positions that grows with your child (recommended 18-36 months) and a stable base.

Check out a demo here.

Parentville is also including a pack of AA batteries for the Giraffe, plus 1 pack each of AAA digital, AA Super Alkaline, AAA Super Alkaline, C and D batteries for your kids’ toys as a holiday gift from Fuji EniviroMAX, the environmentally-friendly battery!

Fuji EnviroMAX batteries won the 2009 Seal of Approval from the National Parenting Center.  They are made with no ozone-depleting compounds, so when they decompose, they will not harm the environment if disposed of through normal waste systems. They contain no harmful mercury, cadmium - nor are they packaged with dangerous (and non-recyclable) PVC plastic. These batteries equal, if not exceed, the performance and longevity of major brands and compete on price. Fuji EnviroMAX batteries are also packaged with recycled paper and plastic.

You can find more information on Fuji EnviroMAX on the Facebook page and purchase them at Amazon and direct from the company at www.greenfuji.com as well as at Target, ACO and ACE Hardware stores; select Sears, Target, Do It Best, and Tru Value Hardware stores; Dick’s Sporting Goods, Big Y stores (Massachusetts), Shop Rite and Kings Supermarkets (New Jersey), Shop’ n Save (St. Louis) and Marsh Supermarkets (Indianapolis).

VTech Voices, VTech’s expert parent panel is offering holiday tips on its Facebook page. By joining VTech’s Mom, Pilar Clark, on Facebook, following them on Twitter and enrolling in Club VTech, you can learn more about products and get exclusive offers and updates on new toys and promotions (most recent ones here).

In addition to the other Jungle Gym products - Monkey Moves Smart Seat, Twist & Learn Gorilla Pals and Bouncing Colors Turtle - VTech has three other great gift ideas:

Bugsby ™ Reading System and Starter Book Bundle – (3–7 years)

V-Motion™ Active Learning System – (3–7 years)

V.Smile™ Cyber Pocket – (5 years+)

ABOUT VTECH:

VTech, the creator of the Electronic Learning Products (ELP) Category and the award-winning V.Smile TV Learning System, is a world leader of age-appropriate learning toys. Since 1976, VTech has been developing high-quality, innovative educational products that enrich children’s development, from birth to preteen, through fun and smart play. VTech Electronics North America, LLC is based in Arlington Heights, Ill. VTech Electronics Ltd. is headquartered in Hong Kong with distribution throughout North America, Europe and Asia. For more information on Vtech’s additional product lines, visit http://www.vtechkids.com/shop_landing.cfm

ABOUT FUJI BATTERIES FDK OF JAPAN:

The company conforms to a “total green” manufacturing system and practices the “Three R’s” approach to Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. Fuji Batteries also freely discloses environment-related information on its business activities, products and services and utilizes any feedback to further improve its environmentally responsible programs.  Fuji EnviroMAX batteries, as all Fuji Batteries, are made in ISO-certified production plants that operate under some of the world’s strictest standards of environmental responsibility.

Best Products and Services from Baby Bites’ New Mom Essentials Event

We had a great time at the Baby Bites’ event last week, as we were invited to attend and check out the latest new products and services. Here are our favorites and gift ideas!

Yummy Mummy Store

This new store at 1201 Lexington Avenue in NYC (between 81st and 82nd) is the perfect place to relieve all your stresses about breastfeeding.  Founder Amanda Cole, a new mom and lactation specialist, has a wonderful array of apparel, breastfeeding support items, instructional videos, pumping gear AND bottles/bottle gear, teethers and pacifiers.  She also offers classes at the store - from Breastfeeding Support Groups to Yoga and Safety/CPR.

If you can’t make it to the store, stop online and get what you need, including gift certificates!

One of the interesting apparel items she carries was also at the event, GLAMOURMOM’s nursing tank, which now is the first to carry tanks for full-busted moms.

I’coo Targo Stroller

I’coo is a German company that recently entered the U.S.  I’coo’s ingenious stroller has terrific flexibility and features, and no extras (read: separate bassinet or car seat adapter purchase) needed. The seat turns around and adjusts in height so you can bring baby up to the restaurant table!  It has a washable bar cover for teething babies, an adjustable leg rest and removable foot rest, plus adjustable handlebar. You can easily take off the canopy, which includes a pocket.  All this for $599 is a lot less than other high-end strollers with less features.  Check out a video demo here.  You can I’coo at Little Folks store or online, or Albee Baby store.

Argington Furniture

Barn Bassinet to Crib to Toddler Bed

Argington has a beautifully designed Barn bassinet that converts to a crib, then to a toddler bed.  This company is focused on environmental sustainability, using E-Zero (formaldehyde free) birch/plywood and bamboo. The bassinet includes two sheets and hypo-allergenic foam mattress pad with organic, unbleached cotton. The bamboo version is available at Giggle. You can purchase both the bassinet and crib for $585 and the conversion kit is $99.

Babylon High Chair

The Babylon high chair is great-looking with lots of flexibility.  You purchase the cushions and infant feeding tray separate, but all are adjustable, including the foot rest, which balances on the rungs.  The best thing is this chair can raise to a bar height to sit even with the kitchen island so baby can use it as a table.

Alex & Sam

This is a wonderful online store started by a mom, Talee Zur Potter, with a knack for gifts - for your baby or others! She always has her pulse on what parents want to keep their kids safe and in style! And, a portion of the procedes are donated to the charity of your choice!  You can also create a campaign for fundraising efforts. If you use the PARENTVILLE code, you get 15% off!

Here are some great ideas:

Baby MedBasics first aid emergency handbook

Baby MedBasics is a great guide started by parents who are also medical experts. It gives you the quick action steps in color-coded tabs when faced with health issue such as CPR, burn, poison, choking, fever. This comes in bright colors so it is easily found, and you can include emergency contact information and baby’s medical records. You can get both a larger home edition that can hang on a door/drawer and a weather-resistant travel edition with a clip to attach to diaper bag. Great for grandparents and babysitters, too!

Egg faux shearling booties

These speak for themselves, so soft, plush for the littlest feet (not recommended for walkers).

Personalized Initial Letter Sweater & Zip-Back Hooded Cotton Sweater

These cotton sweaters are personalized. Pick your choice of colors for the sweater and letter! Initial sweater goes up to size 6 kids.  Zip-back sweater lets you cover him more easily and avoid biting on zipper; up to 2 yrs.  Needs 4-6 weeks for arrival.

Fashion Socks

They come in these cute boxes that can be reused for barrettes, crayons after the socks are outgrown.

Caden Lane reversible spill mat

These fashionable, PVC free mats are terrific under high chairs, for playing with playdoh, etc. Measures 35”x39”.

My First Scrubs

A great outfit that can be personalized - “Dr. Joey” - for everyday use or easy Halloween costume!

Twin Onsies

These onesies answer the question everyone’s asking.

Bon Bon Chocolate Courdoroy Dress

Perfect dress for the holidays with a monogrammed and pants cover option. Comes in sizes up to 5.