Dr. Sear's Vaccination Schedule

Note: I do NOT follow this schedule, but I had to search for quite a while on the internet to find it, so I thought I would post it here to assist anyone looking for it. I feel a lot better about this schedule than the current AAP schedule; I like the fact that Dr. Sears never does more than two vaccines each visit, but again, I do my own schedule because I think some of these are still done too early.

Deciding what to do about vaccinations can be very tough, so good luck to all the moms trying to make the best decisions for their children.

Growth Chart

Ever wondered where all the percentile statistics are coming from when they weigh and measure your baby at the doctor's office?

Well, they come from a simple little chart. You can look them up yourself on the CDC's website. (This is one thing that is actually useful that the CDC does. What a surprise!)

I have converted one into an image for you all to see below. This way you can see exactly where your child fits in and what "35th percentile" actually means in relation to the rest of the babies out there. And you can even guess what they will weigh next year!

There are different types of charts too (length for weight percentiles, length for age, etc.) Go here to see the rest of the charts and more information.

Cleaning Tricks

Crayon on walls: WD-40 works like a charm. Almost as easy as wiping dry-erase off a whiteboard. I've heard toothpaste does the trick too, but requires a bit of elbow grease.

Pen on walls: Rubbing alcohol and cotton balls. This is SO much easier than just trying to use soap and water.

Stickers stuck to the wall: If these don't peel off, get your hair dryer and a plastic scraper. Blow right on the sticker with the hair dryer to melt the glue, then scrape off. If this doesn't take off everything, use some eucalyptus oil for the remaining residue.

Spots on the carpet: Oxy-clean carpet and upholstery spray is my favorite for getting spots out of the rugs/carpets.

Dirty microwave: Put a dishcloth soaked in water and microwave it on high for 30 seconds. The steam will cover the walls and top of the microwave and make it easy as pie to wipe down. This also sterilizes the dishrag!

Any tricks up your sleeve?

Stroller Envy

Have you seen the new strollers and stroller gadgets they are coming out with? I am dazzled. DAZZLED I say!

I don't need a new stroller (I just bought one this year). And most of the cool things are out of my budget anyway. But I have been looking at them lately as one of my friends is buying a new one to accommodate her third child. Check out what we've found:

The new Britax B Ready:

• There are 14 different configurations. (See below.)
• It has a large basket with easy-access panels. 
• The second seat reclines flat. And has a canopy!
• You can use it with TWO carseats (if you have twins). 
• You don't have to take the second seat off to fold it.
• Comes WITH the rain cover.

The UppaBaby Vista (with Rumble seat):

• Possibly the smallest footprint of any double stroller in the world.
• Also has a large basket.
• VERY light. Easy to maneuver. 
• Won't tip over if you hang bags from the handles. (Phil and Ted's struggles with balance.)
• Very similar to Britax B Ready, but even smaller and lighter. (It does have fewer configurations.)
• You can hook a hitch-hiker board to the axle, and it becomes a TRIPLE STROLLER. COOL.

Speaking of hitch-hiker boards, there are loads of options. Options for those with a student's budget. Like me. (If I wanted one.) They range from $49 - $100+.

There's the Hitchhiker Ride On:

The KiddyBoard Maxi:

Trends for Kids Stroller Ride On

(It's hard to tell, but that is a bike seat.)

E-Z Step Universal Stroller Wheel Board

This snazzy thing is the MAMABoard. It is for skater Moms. It oozes coolness.

Let's get an action shot.

And back to ride-ons for kids. Here is the Swiss Strolli Rider.

Or go here if Amazon doesn't have it. (They don't right now.)

For those wanting to be very economical, here are the Stroller Connectors. Only $14.

And perhaps the best for last, here is the BuggyPod.

Do you love it or what? I do. It folds up when not in use.

So, are you dazzled?

Just what will they think of next?!

HIB Vaccine

Here is a great post about the HIB vaccine.

I am always trying to stay on top of the latest vaccination research, and I love when I find mommy bloggers who do the same.

I really like The Natural Mommy's blog, even though I don't have it in me to cloth-diaper or go through labor naturally. But I commend those who do :).

Big Kid Car Seats

My daughter is about to turn three, and we've promised her a new car seat for her birthday. She currently has one of those tray-shield kind, which I've recently found out are actually crap. So we'll be throwing that one out next week. I am trying to find a car seat that will actually fit in my car and still be safe for her.

I was planning on getting just a simple booster seat with a back, because those say they are for kids 30 - 80 lbs. I was thinking this one would be great, since it is cheap, and looks slim. Reading the reviews I discovered that children under five years old actually still need a five-point harness. Apparently using a booster seat with a positioning clip has resulted in lots of three-year-olds being killed in car accidents. Yikes.

Every car seat I research seems to have some horror story behind it where it didn't actually work.

I cannot afford a $280 Britax.

I cannot get something huge. Our car is a tiny little Nissan Sentra and I have to fit two car seats in there.

My daughter currently weighs 29 lbs and I want it to last until she's five-years-old. How much does a five-year-old even weigh?

And just how much of a difference is there from brand to brand? Probably a lot, but every car seat manufacturer says they are safe!

What to do, what to do?

Basic Sleep Guidlines

My question: Should my almost three-year-old still be napping? She isn't, and hasn't for about three months. We're in a bad way around here. The chart tells me she needs more sleep overall, but should I try to add the nap back in or just put her to bed earlier at night? Or both?

Age	Nighttime Sleep	Daytime Sleep *	Total Sleep
1 month	8 1/2	7 (3)	15 1/2
3 months	10	5 (3)	15
6 months	11	3 1/4 (2)	14 1/4
9 months	11	3 (2)	14
12 months	11 1/4	2 1/2 (2)	13 3/4
18 months	11 1/4	2 1/4 (1)	13 1/2
2 years	11	2 (1)	13
3 years	10 1/2	1 1/2 (1)	12
* number of naps in parentheses

(Chart from babycenter.com)