In the past, it’s been very popular with you guys when I post the gifts that we’ve chosen for Annie and Andy. As you know, we have a 3-Gift Christmas here – meaning we give three gifts to each child. One of gold (a treasured gift, usually a toy), one of frankincense (something for worship), and one of myrrh (something for the body).

This has become a very interesting topic to a lot of people – so much so that we were interviewed for The Today Show blog and also for WFAA-TV in Dallas, Texas. We are so tickled to be able to share this idea (one we heard of ourselves) with others – so that we can focus on the true meaning of Christmas…and keep our budgets intact. 😉 [Read more…]

This is our fourth Christmas celebrating Advent together as a family. Each year I am more excited about it than the year before…because this is a time when our family can bond and sing kum-ba-ya. Ha, ha! No really, we SO enjoy our yearly Advent activities – because it’s a time when we can focus on Christ and spending time together…instead of the hustle and bustle of Christmas and the stress that can sometimes accompany it.

So, let me catch you up if you’ve joined us since last year. Our family celebrates Christ’s birth by focusing on Advent during the holiday season. We start December 1^st and have a family activity every day through the 25^th instead of the traditional gifts.  Each day our activity is accompanied by an Advent devotion using Let Every Heart Prepare Him Room (affiliate link, as usual). I’ll put some past Advent links at the bottom of the post in case you want to see them. [Read more…]

Having children has really put me into touch with the sinful nature. And I ain’t talking about my kids. I’m talking about myself. Man alive. I finally see myself a bit more how God sees me – I’m filthy rags. Thanks be unto God for His saving grace.

But really, Barry and I realize the heavy burden that we bear – the burden to teach our children in the ways of our Christian faith. It’s a daily walk for me – and I’m not teaching Annie, she’s teaching ME. Every day I learn things from her. Every day being with her causes me to beg God for mercy toward me. And as I am teaching Annie to obey me, I am teaching her to obey God. [Read more…]

NOTE: Another long post with a video…so, you’ve been warned. 😉

When I first started babywearing with Annie, I used cheap carriers. While they did the job, they weren’t very comfortable…and then I met the Moby Wrap. I remember the first time I wore Annie in my Moby – I remember thinking “Now THIS is how it’s supposed to be!” It just felt right…snug and secure. I fell in love with it immediately.

When I am in the front-carry stage, the Moby Wrap is hands-down my favorite carrier. I like the fit – I like how it feels so secure – I like how fast and easy I can put it on – I like that I can put it on before I leave the house – I like that it’s machine washable when it gets baby snot all over it…or when Mama drops hot dog chili all down the front panel. [Read more…]

Guest post by Brandy Nichols

The very first way I learned to carry my child (other than my arms) was in a ring sling.  My husband’s mother gave me one in those very early days with my first baby.  I think I must have gone around for a year or more, wearing my sling or mei tai much of the time.  Many folks love using ring slings for getting their child up and down quickly and praise them even in the toddler years.

A ring sling is a length of cloth where one end is threaded with sling rings, folded over and sewn (very well).  The other end, the tail, is free.  It’s threaded through the rings, too, to make an adjustable pocket for the baby.  Ring slings are not the same as those infamous bag slings from a few years ago.  I like ring slings for carrying very small babies most of all.  There’s not lots of fabric to wrap around them and no special inserts or adjustments required, such as for soft-structured carriers.  Babies are only very little for a short time, anyway. [Read more…]

I must admit I was quite excited when Stacy told me she had a woven wrap for me to review.  I had heard of Dolcino, but hadn’t seen one.  That’s one of the things about woven wraps – they’re not often things you can go to a brick and mortar store and pick one off the shelf.  I’m used to mail order, though.  Finding wraps in a store is much more common in Europe, where babywearing is more of the norm, but they’re generally pretty expensive.

A woven wrap is long piece of fabric made specifically for babywearing.  They vary in length, anywhere from 2.7 meters to 5.7 meters (quite long!).  They’re used to wrap around your baby and yourself so you can carry your child as you go about your day.  They’re likely to be the most challenging carrier you can use, but also the most versatile.  They are one size fits all and can be used on the front, back or hip.  There’s a perfect carry for the age and temperament of your baby (such as ones who like to lean out of a carrier). [Read more…]

NOTE: This post is a bit long and includes two videos. Proceed with caution. 😉

The first carrier I’m going to focus on in this babywearing series is the Mei Tai…not to be confused with the alcoholic drink. Please do not drink and babywear. HAHAHAHAHA! The way I talk about drinking all the time, you’d think I was a big alchy. But anyway, I digress. Editor’s note: Stacy is not an alcoholic.

A Mei Tai is an Asian-inspired baby carrier. It has a tie around the waist and two straps that you put over your shoulders and cross in the back. You tie around the baby or around yourself to strap the baby in. You can front carry or back carry in this type of carrier. One will generally cost between $50-100.

My carrier from Gracie and Sam has a clip belt, but most Mei Tais come with a tie strap. I’ve used both and they are both easy to use. You simply tie it on, put baby in it, then tie it around yourself….see below for front and back carry videos.

So, you’re likely going to hear me say this in each post –buy a GOOD baby carrier. Just like you spend good money on a car seat and you research what is the best, do the same for your baby carrier. You’re going to wear it for a while, so YOU need to be comfortable and you need your BABY to be comfortable. Don’t pinch pennies too bad when it comes to a carrier – they are worth the money…and this is coming from Cheapo Stacy Who Picks Up Pennies in the Parking Lot.

You can spend between $50-200 for a good carrier. You can spend less and you can spend more. You can buy brand new or you can buy used. Either way – buy a good one…a good quality one that meets CPSIA requirements. (Note: Gracie and Sam (LLC) Mei Tais are compliant with Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) requirements.)

Good baby-carriers are worth EVERY SINGLE PENNY.

Why would you want a Mei Tai? If you want a carrier that’s easy to master and doesn’t require much tying, then you would enjoy this carrier. It distributes weight evenly so you don’t get tired very quickly. I’m able to strap it on quickly when I’m out and about. It works great in the grocery store and great in the park. It ranks in my top three: Moby, Mei Tai and Ergo/Boba.

Why would you NOT want a Mei Tai? If you struggle with tying knots, this is not the carrier for you. 😉 It’s not one of the cheapest options, but in my opinion it’s one of the best options out there for baby-wearing. If you have no plans to front carry, you might not want a Mei Tai – I love front carry, so that’s why I enjoy this carrier. I don’t use it once I move to back carry – although Brandy will show you how you can also use it for back carry if you desire. It’s not a good carrier to breastfeed in – or at least I haven’t mastered that. 🙂

This carrier is easy to put on and it’s easy to take off. It’s not too hot in the summer so that you sweat like a pig when wearing it. I know I’m going to be using this Gracie and Sam carrier a LOT this upcoming summer…especially at the grocery store.

My review: After using her Mei Tai for several weeks, I can tell you one thing: it’s top notch. It’s one of the best baby carriers I’ve ever worn. I love the colors and I love the fit. The padded shoulder straps are very comfy on my bony shoulders and it’s easy to get a tight fit. It’s very comfortable to wear for long periods of time and Andy enjoys it – he falls asleep in it very easily.

I love the custom made reversible pattern. It means I have ONE carrier that I can use for a girl or boy. I also love how fast it is to put on – I can easily strap it on in a store parking lot and be ready to go. The package arrived nicely put together and came with instructions and a thank-you note.

Brandy’s review of the Gracie and Sam Mei Tai:

I’ve made over two dozen mei tais in my babywearing years, so I feel I’ve had a lot of experience using them.  I’m probably the more critical reviewer.  The Sam and Gracie mei tai was surprisingly light, but very well made.  I carried an almost two year old in it using back carry.  I am accustomed to ones that are a bit heavier, but this one seemed as though it would work nicely in hot weather.    The fabric seemed as though it would not develop much of a memory with prolonged use, which is desirable.  By memory, I mean holding wrinkles that fade over time and may compromise the integrity of the fabric.  Ironing can help avoid this, but who wants to iron their carrier every week or so?

The sewing on the mei tai was very neat.  Everything seemed to be very well attached.  The straps were padded, which is not my personal preference, but the padding was comfortable.  I prefer unpadded straps because I feel they conform to my shoulders better.  Padded straps tend to feel like they’re sliding off my shoulders, even if they’re not.  The lighter straps were easy to tie and gripped nicely.    The shoulder and waist straps were a generous length, which I find helpful as an expectant mother. I liked that the carrier was easily reversible, but I do wish the waist strap was a bit heftier.  It did grip well and stay in place once adjusted.

NOTE from Valerie of Gracie and Sam:

1. I tear rather than cut my straps. This allows the straps to be along the warp of the fabric exactly, making them a bit stronger and removing any chance of stretch. I’d rather adjust my straps intentionally than have the droop during the day because of any unintended bias-based cutting giving them stretch.
2. When I put all the pieces together and do my first sewing around, straps (shoulders and waist) get backstitched at their points of insertion as well as in the center of the straps. So all seams that are stressed are already reinforced from the get-go.
3. The carrier is turned right side out and top-stitched, adding another set of stitching to everything attached. The straps are box stitched.

**I was sent a Gracie and Sam Mei Tai to review. All opinions are mine and I really, REALLY love this carrier. Amen and amen.**

**Winner of the Gracie and Sam giveaway was Cheryl Creevey**

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Written by Brandy Nichols, Contributing Writer

When I had my first child, I thought of babywearing as a way to be present for my child in a culture littered with baby-holding appliances.  It seemed natural to me.  I didn’t need (or have the budget for) a swing that mimicked my heartbeat.  My mother-in-law gave me a ring sling as a gift and I made my first mei tai soon after.  Like magic, my daughter fell asleep nearly every time I put her in either one.  I didn’t understand it, but it sure was nice to feel her downy head against my chin.

Over the next year, I wore her much of the time, as first children seem to be the ones who don’t want to be put down.  We did yard work, cooked (with her on the back), hung out laundry and went for walks to the store.  I was able to get things done and offer the kind of presence she needed.   I was also able to get her to sleep when she needed a nap.  Golden. [Read more…]

Before I was a mom, I didn’t really understand stuff. Tons of things are clearer to me now in this state of life. I didn’t really understand God’s love for me until I experienced the love that a mother has for her child. I didn’t really understand why someone would go to the store with a smiley face stickers on their behind. I didn’t really understand why some of my friends could ALWAYS be late. But now I get it. I totally get it.

And now I totally understand why mothers babywear. First off, what is babywearing? Wikipedia says that “Babywearing is the practice of wearing or carrying a baby in a sling or another form of carrier.” Stacy says that “Babywearing is the method by which a mommy gets stuff done without weeping and gnashing of teeth.” [Read more…]