baby 2.0

As we gear up for the arrival our second baby in about 6 weeks I decided to compile a list of items that I found helpful the first go around and that I plan on leaning on for our second as well. I try to keep things simple and as streamlined as possible. I like items that can be moved around easily and that are not too babyish, that can blend into our home. The list below is by no means perfect but rather just the things that I like and find useful. 
cute, simple and wooden play gym from IKEA.

a non-mechanical, machine washable Baby Bjorn Bouncer seat

soft structured baby carrier by Beco. very comfortable and can be used from baby to toddler. 

I know most people use an infant carseat but to me they don't make much sense. It seems a bit silly to buy a carseat that will only last for a few months. So we have used and loved Combi Coccoro with Oliver since day 1 up until we moved him into a Clek Oobr booster. It is lightweight and compact and I highly recommend it.  

A wrap carrier, this one is by Solly Baby is great for the first 6-8 months. Soft, easy to throw in a bag and once you do the wrap a few times the endless amounts of cloth do not seem daunting. 

Baby clothes are cute. But finding functional, gender neutral, sweet clothes that are reasonably priced can be tough. Enter everyone's favourite haven; H&M. Stripes for the win!

soft and easy pants

I think these kimono style tops are so easy for those first few weeks with a brand new babe.

And for something special I love Zara. They make the most beautiful and stylish baby clothes!

Those big and soft muslin blankets are great but for actual swaddling for sleeping I need velcro! Nuroo is a swaddle that is soft and grows with your baby so you only need to buy one size. 

Diapers. Babies need them. I like to spend a little more and use chlorine free and SAP (super absorbent polymers) free diapers. The Seventh Generation company has served us well with Oliver. 

Once we have our legs under us again with baby stuff again we plan on using the Hybrid GroVia system. We used this system with Oliver and the flushable bio soaker liners are a great go between the full cloth system and disposable diapers.  

An easy to clean, venting system for bottle feeding

I have not used this product yet but for middle of the night feedings it seems to be genius. You can fill the base with formula and then when you need a fresh bottle you pop the base and it mixes into the water. No more bleary eyed measuring. Bravo, Mixie

cute sheets, yes please. 

classic sheets, yes please. 

A humidifier is a nice addition to a nursery. Cool mist keep the air comfortable. 

Ah yes, white noise. There are a lot of machines our there but I swear this is the best! pretty, no. functional, yes. I consider this a must have. 

So there you have it. My list of baby gear. Hopefully it can help clarify and weed through the mass of baby gear available on the market!

Taste it: Clear Flour Bread

I may be a bit forgetful at the moment. I blame the pregnancy brain but I had an absolute stroke of genius over the weekend. We should go to Clear Flour Bread! Why is that genius you may ask? One thing: morning bun with walnuts. One of the most perfect and amazing breakfast treats in Boston. How do I know this? Well back in the day when Matt and I spent our summers in dodgy Allston/Brighton summer sublets we came across this teeny, tiny bakery just off of Commonwealth Ave. which you can smell before you can see. Their breads are divine and their treats are sinful and on the weekends be prepared to wait in a line which stretches half a block or more. But trust me, it is so worth it.  The sad crime of it all, we have not been to Clear Flour Bread since moving to Cambridge. A travesty, I know. So this weekend I decided that we would remedy that and oh boy was it worth the wait! Of course I got a morning bun with walnuts and we also got a petite sourdough batard to turn into yummy grilled cheese sandwiches for dinner. delicious. 

see?! Oh my lord is it amazing. Not too sweet or overfilled with walnuts and the perfect satisfying crunch on the exterior. 

silly signage. 

Waiting patiently (more or less). And yes, it is the end of March and we are still wearing hats and gloves...ugh.  

more signage. 

The counter is tiny and the rest of the space is for the bakery. Fine by me because look at all of the gorgeous breads they create! 

yummy treats! everything from rustic apple tarts to divine croissants and of course the glorious morning bun!

So if you are in Boston and looking for an amazing place to get bread or a treat look up Clear Flour Bread and you will not be disappointed. Now that my tastebuds have been wetted I will certainly not be staying away for such a long time. It is well worth the drive across the river. 

12/52

happy bug. it was so nice to be able to stay in a friend's house for the few days while our floors were being refinished. Oliver loved all the "new" toys and I enjoyed being able to cook or heck even toast a piece of toast! We are home now and the kitchen is progressing. hopefully all will be done and correct in the next two weeks. Then we have to put all of our kitchen stuff back in the kitchen not in the Lemon's room where it is mostly residing now. Nothing like making your morning coffee in the soon to be nursery, hey maybe i'll keep it there for easy caffeine delivery! 

Anyone who knows my kiddo knows that he is the world's slowest eater, he is not picky per se but just as slow as molasses. But let me tell you he has been eating everything in sight and even after a good lunch or dinner he has been saying he is hungry about 40 minutes later. It is crazy. And of course I have no access to a proper oven or cooktop which means a lot of snacks and fruit. Clearly he is growing but it makes me slightly fearful for his eating habits when he is a teenager!

What is it about the back of his neck? I love it. it is one of my favourite places to sneak a kiss and it always smells perfectly of Oliver. It is my sweet spot.  

On a few occasions we have been picking up a friend from school who lives a couple houses down and I love hearing the chatter in the backseat. During this ride Oliver was "helping" Bess find the items in a seek and find book. And by helping I mean blatantly telling her where they were! 

Over the weekend we went back to the Rosebud Diner in Davis Sq. It is quickly becoming a new favourite local joint.  

Reading a plethora of books at the Harvard Coop is always a great way to pass some time, especially on a chilly Saturday. Spring....oh Spring, we miss you! 

We have been eating out a bit more than usual because of the state of our kitchen. We graciously received a gift card to Redbones (an awesome local rib joint) for snow blowing a friend's driveway after one of the many snow storms. It is one of Oliver's favourite spots and he is a pro.  He could pretty much order everything for the table. He is obsessed with their fried pickles and he knows how to roll up his sleeves to tuck into a rib. 'atta boy!

Sweet, bbq kisses from my love. He has either been sweet as sugar these days or a bit of a sourpuss so I will revel in the sweetness. 

Chilling at Drumlin Farm after his class. He has been a "Barnyard Buddy" for a few weeks and he has collected eggs, milked a cow, brushed a pony and met the new lambs and baby goats. It is amazing to have access to the programming and make sure my city boy appreciates the countryside as well as has an understanding for where and how his food comes from. 

11/52

Waiting seems to be the name of the game right now. Waiting for Spring. Waiting for the snow to melt. Waiting for our kitchen project to be complete. Waiting for the new baby. In an attempt to not go (too) stir crazy we have been striking out and going to museums, on coffee dates, and most recently house crashing (sitting) a friend's place while they are out of town and we needed to vacate our house for a few days. who knew going and staying at a friend's house with "new" toys would be such a darn thrill! One of our most recent outings started at Diesel Cafe and then we took the train to the Harvard Museum of Natural History and we completed the trifecta with lunch at Clover. We had a busy day that was not centered around the waiting game. 

One of the aspects that I love about where we live is the walkability. And it is also one of things that I have been missing over this long and brutal winter, walking to the coffee shop or out to lunch or to the market. So it was nice to walk to Diesel Cafe with Oliver and sit for a bit with a coffee and a shared croissant before venturing out for the rest of our day. 


And although the MBTA is not the biggest or the most far reaching and boy, did the trains get bungled up this winter I still am happy that we have the access to strike out without getting in the car.  

Walking through the Harvard Yard to get to the Harvard Museum of Natural History. Now I will say this, although Oliver is mostly really good about walking around town he still has melt downs about it taking too long to get somewhere and that his feet are too tired and he cannot possibly go on! It drives me crazy but usually if you just keep walking he will too and even though the tears and drama rear their ugly heads once we are at the destination he is fine. Frankly, he usually cheers up and is proud of himself for walking all the way! Oh why can't he just remember that in the moment. 

Ok so the Harvard Museum of Natural History is a quirky place. It is a bit like going through a time warp in some respects. The museum if a conglomerate of fossils (including the massive Kronosaurusabove), specimens of bugs and birds, the great mammal hall (of taxidermy) dating back to 1872, and an exhibition of delicate glass flowers. 

Like I said, a quirky spot. but it is a fun place to walk around with kids and try not to get too grossed out by all of the ancient taxidermied animals from bats to bison and even a giraffe. 
The two leveled Great Mammal Hall is a vintage, slightly creepy experience but it is also a neat way to see a bunch of animals in one spot.

after the museum we hit up our favourite lunch spot in Harvard Sq. (ok, my favourite place), Clover.  

goofballs waiting for pita bread, Venezuelan Plantain sandwich, hibiscus iced tea and rosemary french fries...YUM!

and to close, a cheeky St. Patrick's day photo where by the luck of the Irish, Oliver found "Freshie" the frog at Trader Joe's and he got a lollipop. day. made. 

So here we wait. Wait for the warm sunshine to accompany us on our walks and local excursions. come on Spring!

10/52

After a rough day mid-week when Ollie and I got nailed with a 24 hour stomach bug the sunshine has been a welcome sight. Oliver has been doing a lot of "reading" lately. And by reading I mean reciting books that he knows by heart. Some of them are quite long and involved and he amazes me with just how much specificity he remembers. We have so many books in our house. A literal children's library. And you know what? I love it. Sure we could stand to clean out some of the silly, junky ones purchased for airplane trips but I love how Oliver will dig through and find a new stack of books to love on for a week or two and then moves on to different stories. Really you will never see me complain about too many books! A bibliophile just like his Mama.

my boys.  Oliver and Matt have such an awesome relationship. I love when we are all out together to see how he acts differently with Matt versus me. 

cutting takes a lot of concentration. A. LOT.

noshing on a bagel before swim class.


Love it: Color Fields @ MassArt

Over the weekend we made it to the MassArt: Color Fields show just before they closed it down. It was a breath of fresh air especially with all of the mounds of grey, icy snow all around the streets creating an overall dreary atmosphere as we patiently await Spring's arrival. 



Oliver sketching the shapes he sees.  


colorful crepe paper! 



kinetic paint chips.  

the fan favourite. Sonia Falcone's piece Compo de Color 

it really was a beautiful installation. 

observing from on high. 






Oliver's drawing skills have really soared! a face and hands!

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