Beco Toddler Carrier - For the Joy of Babywearing

Shortly around the age of two, I thought Ruby was done with babywearing.

It was happening less frequently; she wanted more independence in the grocery store or on hikes. I'd be able to get her into my Boba 4G (which we've had since she was a newborn) if she was very sleepy or if it was absolutely necessary for her safety, while I held her big sister's hand.

I quietly packed the Boba away, thinking about all of our adventures that we've had and truly how comforting it had been to her. It was her favorite carrier and the one she almost clung to like a lovey. I tried a few times to borrow a friends' carrier to try out a new brand and she adamantly would not allow me to put her into it. She'd run for her Boba. Twice a month when I'd go to MOPS, she was quickly soothed in the Boba when one of her blessed MOPPETTS care takers would gladly wear her in it for the two hours while I had a break.

It dawned on me that maybe the problem was that she was too big for it. She certainly hadn't outgrown it by the safety standards (she was about 25 lbs and maybe 31 or 32 inches, an average 2 year old girl) but I did start to wonder if the seat just wasn't wide enough for her anymore. So I gave my friends at Beco a call and the Beco Toddler Sloth in Orange came to live with us.

Yes, Miss Ruby was hesitant at first. She was not too keen on this new visitor in our house. But we worked on it for a little while and the joy of babywearing returned!

She quickly snuggled into the wider panel, I could feel her knees were better supported in the uber deep seat, and even my own body felt better aligned with her toddler weight more evenly distributed. Her body relaxed as she remembered how wonderful it was to snuggle up onto mama's back. Even her preschool aged sister asked for a chance for uppies, because it's been a long time since we've been able to do it for her too!

The Beco Toddler has come with us EVERYWHERE since then. We've gone camping, it accompanies us on farm chores occasionally and most importantly - waits in my truck for those days where the grocery shopping trip is a wee bit too close to nap time.

So what is the Beco Toddler, exactly?

It's a soft structured buckle carrier (SSC), meaning you can wear your child on your front (facing you) or on your back (also facing you), on the hip or criss-crossing the straps across your back for front carry (it helps spread the weight even more). It secures the child to you with backpack straps with a buckle at your hips and at your chest. It's one of the most popular, ergonomic and easy ways to wear your child. Beco has two carrier sizes; the Gemini for babies who weigh 7-35 lbs and toddler for big kids over the age of 18 months and range in weight from 20-60 lbs.

The buckle at your hips requires two handed release for safety

There are tons of friendly features on the Beco Toddler that I've appreciated in comparison to the other SSC carriers that I've gotten to try out. It comes with a hood which comes in handy for naps or nursing. It's removable!

The mark of a good SSC to me is lots of adjustibility. You've got a growing kid as well as a great variation of body types for caregivers. Many members of my family have adopted babywearing, so it's great when a carrier can be adjusted from my frame, my either of my sister in laws, my mother in law AND the 6'2 athletically built uncle or grandpa.

Another important creature comfort feature of a SSC is storage pockets. Because honestly, while I am babywearing my carrier is also my wallet. It goes with me everywhere, so why not cut down on extra luggage? The Beco Toddler has a small pouch that is perfect for the few essential cards or cash that you might carry around with you.

And can I mention, again, this funky cute sloth and chameleon print? My kids are quite in love with Zootopia (that sloth scene MADE the movie for grown ups everywhere, I'm serious) and Tangled, so seeing two animals from both of the movies makes me and the girls smile.

So if you ask me, the Beco Toddler is a really awesome toddler carrier. It is durably made, comfortable, adjustable and has extended our babywearing days! And did you know that Beco Toddlers are on sale??

Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Beco. I received product in exchange for my honest review. Truly, I love this carrier, and think you will too!

5 Reasons to Babywear When Your Little is Sick

Did you have the joys of experiencing the crud that has been passed around this winter? I call it "the crud" because there's really no other name for it. It's not quite a cold or the flu, sometimes a little bit of stomach virus gets mixed in and it just percolates through a home for weeks, sometimes even months. Truth be told, we've been going on about 6 weeks of this and that. And typically as soon as we feel well and go out for a play date or some kind of event, BOOM a new strain gets picked up and we start all over again.

Before kids, I would either tough it out and lock myself in my office and only accept human contact in the form of IMs or I'd resign myself to the couch. Mamas, you know that this is not even a remote possibility if you and especially if the kids are sick. But life goes on and the couch beckons for the husband when he returns home, not for you. What are you to do?

Babywear. Babywear. Babywear.

Here are the top 5 reasons why one should babywear when the little is sick:

1. Skin to skin (Kangaroo Mother Care) contact helps children heal faster. Skin to skin contact releases oxytocin, it helps regulate heart rate, temperature and breathing.

2. Nursing babies want to nurse more while sick, so wearing them gives them easy access. Breastmilk is full of antibodies and is very hydrating; both of which are important when a little one feels under the weather. There's also studies showing that breastmilk is the pathway between mother and baby for shared immunity, and the mother is able to respond with antibodies that the baby needs.

3. Sick children inherently want to stay close to their parents and snuggle, so wearing them helps satisfy that need. Staying close is comforting and reduces stress levels for both.

4. Wearing children helps keep them upright, which helps drain their sinuses and can help them relax enough to get some rest. I encourage you to (safely) babywear in the shower or in a steamy bathroom. Beach Front Baby Carriers are great for water-use!

5. Just like with all baby carrier types, you can still get stuff done while your little one is needing to be held more!

During our season of "The Crud" I was able to try out the Boba Wrap. Normally I opt for a soft structured carrier, like the Boba 4G, but I found that the wrap was awesome for several reasons:

1. It was soft, snuggly and just the right amount of stretch. Perfect for sick babies.
2. The "tails" were perfect for wiping snot. There, I said it. You know you do it too.
3. It washes and dries very quickly, especially after too many snot wiping episodes..
4. Because of the stretchy factor, it encouraged me to move slowly and not move around as much as I normally would in a soft structured carrier. Using a Boba Wrap doesn't necessarily limit you to standing in one spot in fear of the material moving out of place, but it definitely kept me mostly upright (no unloading the dishes for me) or snuggled on the couch.

Ruby is about 20 lbs and 11 months old, which is still well within the 35 lb weight limit. My almost 3 year old weighs 25 lbs, so I gave it a shot and she loved it too! She called it the "Boba Hug."

Learn how to tie a Boba Wrap here. It took a little bit of practice for me to get it tight enough but once I got it down it was so comfy to wear.

You can get the Boba Wrap at Pish Posh Baby!

The innovative Pish Posh Baby Boba Wrap is the perfect wrap style carrier for both advanced babywearers and beginners. Featuring a unique fabric blend free of buckles, straps, or buttons, it offers simple, no-guess tying and a hands-free hold that is comfortable for both you and your baby. It also makes breastfeeding a cinch! By evenly distributing the weight of your child, there is no time limit to how long your baby can stay in the wrap. You may calm and soothe your baby with your warmth, your voice, your movement, and your heart beat for as long as you both would like! The Boba Wrap holds babies weighing from 7-35 lbs. Available in black, navy blue, gray, orange, purple and print stardust, the Pish Posh Baby Boba Wrap retails for $37.99.

Follow  Pish Posh Baby 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PishPoshBaby

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Disclosure: I received a Boba Wrap from Pish Posh Baby in exchange for my honest review. No other compensation was provided.

Best of 2014! The Pierogie Mama's most popular posts

Here's a round up of the top posts from the blog this year!

Raspberry Creamsicle Popsicle Recipe

Sbarro Copycat Baked Ziti Recipe

Buttons Diapers Review

Boba Mini Review

Honorable mention.. Ruby's birth story! My baby is almost 10 months and I can't believe what a year it's been.

Boba Mini Review & Giveaway

This post was originally a part of the Travelin’ with Baby Giveaway Hop Event
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Babywearing. That's me, all day every day. Can't stop, won't stop!

It's so ingrained into our daily life that whenever the girls and I get ready to leave the house, Penny always starts the check list: "Mama, here are your shoes. I need my water. Don't forget the Robot!"

...The "Robot" is our Boba 4g carrier, which has been the primary carrier for Ruby. Anywhere we go, the Boba comes too and the freedom that it's given me to keep up with Penny and always have Ruby close has been invaluable. I honestly don't know how parents get by without wearing their littles. Besides the ability to play with Penny, babywearing gets dinner done, keeps the house kind of clean, soothes owies, nurses on the go, and is a mobile nap spot. Babywearing is my BFF.

So it comes as no surprise that eventually Penny would want to mimic mama with her baby doll. We tried a homemade wrap but Penny insisted that she needed a "Robot" too, so our good friends at Boba sent us a Boba Mini carrier for Penny to review!

The thing I love the most about the Boba Mini doll carrier is how it is pretty much exactly like the 4g. It has all of the same straps and even a little pocket to put treasures in. I was able to get the fit just right, even for a small frame like Penny's.

Many view doll carriers as something cute or as a way for children to feel like they are a part of the change with a new sibling. And I totally agree- it's absolutely adorable to see Penny walk around wearing her baby, caring for her in the same way that she sees me care for her little sister. But there's something more - it's the beginning of giving her a glimpse of the care and love that Adam and I have for our daughters. The doll carrier is a tool to help her learn through pretend play and gain empathy for another being.  It's common to give children (particularly girls) baby dolls with cribs or bottles, and the doll carrier is an extension of our lifestyle and values.

Now that we have the Boba Mini, it's added to Penny's checklist as we leave. "Mama, here are your shoes. I found MY Robot! Don't forget your Robot!"

So as we prepare for our first plane ride with all four of us, I can guarantee that mama AND Penny's "Robots" will be worn to make sure everyone is happy, safe and close.

This giveaway is over - thanks to all for entering! 

Keep an eye out for more Pierogie Mama Giveaways.

Disclosure: I received product in exchange for my honest review!

Babywearing Through Mount Rainier

Caution: This post contains a ton of babywearing!

This past weekend we decided to take a family trip up to Paradise at Mount Rainier National Park as a last hurrah for my parents taking off for Europe for the next 2 years. I had been wanting to see the gorgeous wildflower fields that are infamous in August and it was the perfect family bonding time that we needed.

We drove up early on a Sunday morning and made it to Paradise, which is the starting point for summiting Mount Rainier and offers the most glorious views of the volcano (that you can drive to). Even though it's at 5,400 ft elevation, it was a HOT afternoon. You never know about the weather when you're that high up, it can change so quickly, but we were blessed with a gorgeous blue sky, albeit hot temperatures and the beautiful variation of wildflowers.

Pretty much everyone took a turn wearing the babes :)

We hiked around Paradise and then headed out for an impromptu hike that took us from Narada Falls down to Long Mire. It was a 4 mile all descent hike - which was easy but let me tell ya, my knees and toes were hurting for the next 2 days!

None of this would have been possible without babywearing! There was no way a stroller would have worked for 5 month old Ruby and a 4 mile hike for 2 year old Penny would have been too long. So naps and nursing happened on the go and we all were happy hikers :)

Mother's Day + RadioFlyer Ultimate Family Wagon Review

Since entering the fabulous ranks of motherhood, our annual tradition for Mothers Day has been to take a trip to the zoo. Here's our trip last year...it's crazy that at that point we had no idea that we'd be a family of 4 the next time around.

Because I love going to the zoo so much, Adam got me an annual pass to the Woodland Park zoo as my gift last year and I have taken Penny at least a dozen times. It was awesome! I kind of wondered how I'd fare with two kids and a couple weeks ago a friend and I took our children (4 kids under the age of 3) and I learned very quickly that handling my own two at the zoo is no easy feat. This year I decided to take a break from my awesome annual pass and wait until next year when Ruby is a year old and Penny is 3. Then it'll be easier, right?!

Anywho, our trip this year went really well because Adam and I employed our divide and conquer technique and made it through with as little fuss and muss as possible. If you've seen me at all over the last 2 months, you'll know that I pretty much wear Ruby all the time and that's how we like it. Adam had Penny, and when he wasn't chasing after her she was riding in her princess wagon.

Let me take a moment to introduce Penny's Princess Wagon - aka the Radio Flyer Ultimate Family Wagon.

Why do we love this wagon? Because it's pretty much the bomb dot com. It has everything I can think of!

• Double seats
• Each seat folds down so you can also have it become a mobile changing station (or toddler lounge bed, whatever floats your boat)
• The seats have cushions, which are removable therefore washable.
• An easy to remove canopy (read: UV protection)
• 6 cup holders (which hold both adult and child sized cups)
• Seat belts
• Storage
• Lightweight, so it's easy to pull and lift into the trunk

So far this wagon has accompanied us on two zoo trips and a fair experience, and it has been such a huge help. We often have play dates with other toddlers so it's nice to have a wagon that can easily hold two and still have space to carry a snack bag and a few extras. We have gotten so many compliments and envious side glances on this wagon - it's pretty much the creme-de-la-creme of wagons, if you ask me!

You can find the RadioFlyer Ultimate Family Wagon at Toys 'R Us and on Amazon.com.

When we got home, Adam and the girls had a surprise for me - a new lilac bush to plant in our front yard under our bay windows! That way I can open the windows during the bloom and smell that intoxicating scent. I felt so loved by my family <3 br="">

See what zoos The Pierogie Mama has written about

Disclosure: Thank you Radio Flyer for sending me the ultimate wagon for our family outings! Product was provided for review, no other compensation was provided. All opinions expressed are my own. We LOVE this wagon! This link contains affiliate links.

Boba 4G carrier with a newborn

Oh, it's been a month of craziness up in this house for sure.. Miss Penny turning 2 and seriously blossoming into this adventerous, talkative, sassy girl, and then there's the new addition - little Ruby!

Having 2 kids within 2 years means that a lot of our methods have stayed the same (such as bed sharing, cloth diapering, daily routines) but quite a few things have changed. Namely our babywearing techniques.

Babywearing was sort of a novel idea to me when Penny was a newborn - I was perfectly happy to sit and snuggle all day. It wasn't until she was 4 months old and summer hit when we pulled out our soft carrier (the Ergo) and took her along on hikes and other outdoor excursions.

This time around - babywearing is a necessity. Can I say it again? Babywearing is a necessity with 2 under 2. 

I have been experimenting with different methods depending on what our activity is, but my favorite carrier for our daily family walks or when I'm getting work done around the house is the Boba 4G carrier. I struggled with our Ergo for the newborn stage (and the newborn insert was just plain silly and useless) so I was very interested to see how the Boba held up.

From the first time that I put Ruby into our Boba (around 2 weeks old) I felt like it was a great fit. She was about 9lbs and 21 inches and fit into the carrier well. I didn't feel like she was too small and would flop around like Penny did in our other soft carrier. Her little bottom slid perfectly onto the integrated infant insert.

Another favorite feature of the Boba 4g carrier is just how adjustable it is. It has 5 ways to adjust the fit to you - across the hips, across the chest, adjusting the height of the chest strap, and 2 shoulder adjustments. The extra shoulder adjustment is a big seller for me because my husband has a really wide chest so he's able to bring the fit closer to him.

source

Our carrier is made from their optional organic cotton. It is free of chemicals or dyes. The fabric is must softer and more pliable than our other carrier, which is perfect for against especially a newborn's skin.

This carrier is rated from 7 - 45 lbs. There's a lot of carriers out there who claim that, but I feel like the Boba 4g can honestly meet that claim. As I mentioned before, Ruby was probably between 8 1/2 - 9 lbs when I first started wearing her in it and it was a comfortable fit from the get-go. In comparison it wasn't until Penny was closer to 11-12 lbs (even with the infant insert) that I was able to somewhat comfortably carry her around and not feel like she was sloshing around in the other carrier. I've also worn Penny, now 25 months old and 23 lbs (Yep, she's a petite lady), in the Boba 4g carrier and absolutely love her in it as well because the panel rises up several inches higher and I can tell that she is much more comfortable in it because she's not craning to get out or look around. My favorite part about the back carry for this carrier is that the chest strap can be slid up and down (in addition to being tightened or loosened).

The Boba 4G is definitely a new favorite around these parts and I can whole heatedly recommend it to anyone!

Enter for your chance to win a Boba Baby Carrier, a Boba Wrap or a Boba Air! All products can be seen at www.boba.com. With Boba products it is easier than ever to enjoy Freedom Together as a family and Boba wants YOU to get a chance to use their products. To enter to win, follow the Rafflecopter instructions.
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Under Construction: new garage doors and yard work

Don't want to miss out on any of our renovation shenanagins? 

Click here for a full list of my posts on it!

Well, the renovation was on a partial hold for the last couple months for the end of my pregnancy and the birth of Ruby, but the last 2 weeks have brought us absolutely gorgeous weather and my energy has returned so we've been getting quite a few projects done around the house.

Sometimes I just have to stand back and laugh at the way that we go about our renovation. Home improvement projects are very daunting to most people and may require weeks (months?) of preparation. Some researching on how to do it, sourcing the materials and him-hawing over options. Us? Nah. Adam woke up this past Saturday morning and said "today I'm going to put in our garage doors."

Ok, let me back up a few days.

The Suburban "Duraburb" project is done and Adam started parking it into the (in my opinion) very skinny garage. Our house was originally had a 2 car garage (2 single doors) but the previous owners converted one of the stalls into a room for their daycare. We value garage space over weird/extremely cold rooms so the plan has always been to convert it back into garage space in the next year or so. I've been driving the Duraburb around for a couple weeks and am pretty comfortable with driving it and parking it in easy spots but the garage was another story. One morning I was getting ready to go to my local MOPS group and all I had to do was pull the Duraburb out of the garage. It was a tight fit but simply driving it out of the garage shouldn't be a big deal, right? Even after loading up both of the girls (who were NOT happy) I felt that I had succeeded in my attempt and started pulling out of the garage. Well...*somehow* the garage door had slid down just a teeny tiny bit and it was enough to catch the back roof rack as I pulled out. Thankfully a neighbor was walking by and I had already slowed down to let him cross, so I was literally creeping along but it was enough to bend the roof rack a little bit. This was the fire under Adam's ass to fix our garage situation.

So this past Saturday morning he went to Lowe's just to check their prices on garage doors and found that coincidentally they are having a super-sale and picked up 2 garage doors for cheap! We tend to have a lot of luck with getting super good random deals at Lowe's. So he came home and literally started cutting a hole in the side of the house.

If you know me personally or have been following the blog for a while, you know that although Adam doesn't have any professional experience in house renovations / improvements he just has a knack for these things. His engineering background gives him the basis for a lot of the projects that he tackles and where ever there are hole in his knowledge he picks up pointers from the internet or friends/family who have already done it. In the 1 1/2 house renovations that we've done he's actually got a pretty good record of success. Sometimes it's a windy road with a few detours, but I have to say that I'm very proud of him for always completing a project.

Ok enough blubbering about my handy husband, back to filling you in on what we've done.

The way that we tend to start our projects is by the seat of our pants. We decide a few days before or the morning of (as was the case here) that we want to get something done and pretty much do it. Yes, we have a list of house projects that need to be done. Yes, they are organized by priority. But sometimes that list is set aside and we just do what we want to do that weekend.

Case in point: he cut a hole in the house and installed one garage door in a day.

Sunday morning he moved on to the garage stall that already had a garage door (the one I had pulled out of). The original width was 8 ft and both new doors are 9 ft. This is plenty of room for me to comfortably park the Duraburb in the garage. Whew! He managed to finish this project in time for Penny's 2nd birthday / meet the baby party that we had planned that afternoon too.

Over the last few weeks we've been working on the yard as well. The side yard leading from our driveway to the shop was in dire need of drainage so Adam and my step-dad worked for a couple weekends to lay down drainage pipes and dig trenches. Last week a couple of our neighbors literally volunteered to throw almost 10 tons of gravel over that driveway that Adam outlined while he was at work. We have been seriously blessed with great neighbors who have welcomed us to the neighborhood and are a constant support!

Meanwhile, my parents have been visiting almost every weekend and my step-dad is a machine when it comes to whipping a yard into shape. For both of our renovations that has been his area of expertise and the man is tireless. Normally I'm not much of a yard person but he inspired me a bit and I've been working on a couple small projects throughout the yard (as nap time allows).

My first project was to weed our raised bed. Penny and the chickens became my helpers (as helpful as a toddler and five chickens can be) by dumping the weeds into a bucket or eating bugs that I unearthed - respectively. I need to fill the garden with some topsoil and then Penny and I can plant our first veggies together! I'm thinking snow peas, radishes, cucumbers, sunflowers and setting aside some room for a couple pumpkins.

I started walking around the yard and found a few areas where there had been paving stones laid out but had been overgrown for several years.

My yard projects are usually limited by which child I have with me at the time. If it's just Penny then I'm pretty free to do mostly whatever I want to do and she's become a good helper. If Penny is down for a nap but Ruby is awake then I wear her in our Boba and I'm limited to tasks that keep me standing (such as clipping branches or raking). It's not too often that I'll tackle yard work when I've got both of the kids - but we still go outside and play :)

This run of great weather has been a great motivator in getting the outside of our house looking more presentable and I've been enjoying taking the girls on walks during the day and when Adam gets home we typically take another walk after dinner. It's not too often that we get weather like this in Washington this early in the year so we take advantage of it while we can!