At 8ish months old, we went through a tiny boycott for naps with my oldest child. I was shocked and scared and NEEDED her to nap — big time. Luckily I read this fantastic nugget of information that suggested putting board books in the crib. Sure enough, it worked. She would look at them for a few minutes, lay down for her nap, and even wake up after the nap and “read” some more. Truly a miracle! A real game changer.
Fast forward to that little baby getting closer and closer to two. The bookshelf turned into a war zone. Fancy Nancy was no longer fancy... Brown Bear, Brown Bear, what do you see... he sees nothing because he is in 17 pieces. Don’t even get me started on the pop up books.
We love books in our family! So why does she do it?
All the talks in the world didn’t make a difference. At two, she seemed like she was comprehending, but then I would find a pile of pages only moments later. I would fix them in front of her and show her how sad it was to make mommy and daddy (we made VERY sad faces). I had grandma FaceTime to tell her how important books are and how we should treat them. Nothing was sticking. She nodded and agreed and would recite “no rip boooks,” but even still...many stories lost their pages at the hands of our two-year-old.
But then...one day. She never did it again. It was like she got it all out of her system. It was over! I could finally put away the clear packing tape. Woo hoo!! She decided on her own that she didn’t want to do that anymore. Until little sister started approaching the age of two…
She, too, is a BOOK RIPPER!
To the public library, we went! Miss Nancy, the librarian, sat down with our girls (3.5, almost 2, and 3 months... but honestly, the baby wasn’t really paying attention) and talked to them about loving books and how to treat them. She told them how we share books, and if the pages are torn, other boys and girls can’t enjoy these stories. They listened and nodded, and my oldest would make sure that her sisters were paying attention (the baby was asleep at this point).
We checked out 11 books, went home, and for two weeks in a row, not one single page was torn! We continuously talk about “Miss Nancy the Li-berry-in” and how she would want us to treat books. We have told everyone we know about visiting her and what she had to say. This seemed to make the page tearing stop! She’s cured!
So for every parent out there struggling with this baby issue, I have a few tips:
x Amy
Head of Customer Care
Water Activity: Similar to the same water activity with your littlest babes, turn this one into a SINK or FLOAT experiment with bigger kiddos! Grab the same bowl or Tupperware container, fill with water, and grab a few different items from around the house - and then see if those times SINK or FLOAT! For example, a clementine will float with the peel on and SINK with the peel off.
Coloring, Coloring, Coloring: Truly, what kiddo doesn't love to color? And what adult couldn't use the peace and joy of coloring too? Download all the free coloring pages you could want here: http://www.colouring-page.org/
Grocery Sack Puzzle: Make a big puzzle out of an old grocery paper bag or cardboard box. Color it first or draw a picture and have the kids color, cut it up as advanced as your kids can handle. Voila! Instant and entertaining fun.
For The Entire Family
Movie Marathons! I know we want to try to keep to a schedule most days (for the sake of everyone's sanity), but hey, when else will you have everyone under one roof for an extended time again, with literally nowhere else to be? Stay in PJ's and watch movies all day! If you have a toddler... maybe just try for twenty minutes of sitting still and movie time. ;)
Plant Seedlings: At the time of writing this, it's almost Spring. Temperatures are starting to warm up and the sun is coming out brighter and longer. Now's the perfect time to teach your kiddos about caring for a plant, from seedling to growth! Plus, getting your hands dirty will feel good for everyone right now.
Picnics Outside and Lots of Walks: Getting outside, if we're able to, is going to be one of the best things we can all do for our mental health during this time. Have lunch and dinner picnics outside, go for long nature walks or quick walks around the neighborhood, see who can run to the mailbox and back first. Get outside if you can.
Pet Show: Have your child dress up their favorite stuffed animal, invite their other stuffed animal friends to join in, and show off all of the animals in a pet show. Woof woof!
And, while extra playtime and time to slow down and be creative is great and can be a much-needed reprieve from our busy lives (if we choose to think of it that way!), remember it's not all fun and games. These kiddos must learn, too!
We think it's SO important to determine a daily schedule and keep to it as much as possible, for EVERYONE'S sake. Changing out of PJ's (unless it's #moviemarathon day!), eating a healthy breakfast, and starting your day off as normal as possible can seriously help wonders.
We LOVE this schedule from the Kahn Academy. We're going to adapt it a bit to fit within our own family and routines to create our #newnormal. Join us!
We've created a fill-in-the-blank schedule for you to print off, fill in, and tape up on the fridge so everyone can get on board with the new routines. Download away! And the best part is.... you can print it off as often as you need to! It may take a while to get the new daily routine nailed down... I have a feeling we'll be going through several of these!
Now, let's talk learning...
All of a sudden we've all become homeschooling mamas and teachers - eep! As of now, I'm feeling pretty positive about this (it is only day one, however....) and am looking forward to teaching our boys and learning right alongside them.
I know different schools are doing different things to keep lessons going as normal as possible, but I also know we're all going to need a bit more assistance sometimes, too!
We try to limit the amount of tech and screen time the boys have, and while I still think that tech needs to be limited, there are going to be times when we just need to get things done with full focus. You feel me, mamas?
During these moments, we'll be turning to Khan Academy. It's one app that I allow the boys to play because it's so well made and FREE!
I also plan to help them work on the alphabet and phonics with the Endless Alphabet app.
And who knows, maybe we'll all pick up a new language?! How fun would that be? is a free platform that helps you learn a second language. Count us in!
Alright, fellow mamas and papas. We hope this is SO helpful! We'll be hopping on Stories to share what's working for our own little family over the next few weeks, as well as sharing any brilliant #momhacks our community shares. Come hang out on Instagram with us and we'll all get through this #newnormal together.
Remember, mamas. This won't be permanent. We WILL get through this, and we WILL THRIVE together!
Above all else, enjoy this special extra time with your family. It could truly be such a gift.
Stay healthy and stay safe! x Lulu
With the popularity of our Side-Snap Bodysuits, we've launched our Classic Bodysuits in the same super soft cotton you love. Best of all, our Classic Bodysuits also have our popular gloved sleeves to keep your little one’s hands nice and warm and to help prevent scratching.
Available in White and Heather Grey, and in both long-sleeve and short-sleeve, you’re going to want to stock up on these ones ASAP.
Made of ultra-thick cotton, you don't have to worry about anything showing through (no diapers with blue lines showing through - hooray!), or your sweet little babe feeling chilly - they'll be warm in these classic bodysuits!
Stock up on a few in your favorite color - or each color! They're truly the most versatile item you can have in your babies wardrobe, and available in 0-12 months, they'll continue to grow with your babe.
]]>LITTLE HANDS REJOICE!
Hitting the Goobie Baby shop just in time for holiday gifts for the babies in your life, our brand new Silicone Dinnerware Bowls are going to be your new mealtime favorite.
Style + safety + independence all come together in our Silicone Suction Bowls, an indestructible and safe way to help baby learn feeding independence.
Designed with a strong suction to stick to flat surfaces, these chic matte Silicone Bowls help prevent mealtime from getting too crazy and messy, for both you and baby.
Available in a variety of fun colors, grab your favorite (or two!) and your go-to snacks, and voila, happy baby!
ALL THE BETTER TO SNACK WITH!
With a shape and depth specially designed for those curious little hands that are learning to scoop (and make a mess!), our silicone bowls are ideal for self-feeding toddlers and even old kiddos, too!
They're easy to hold and high-rimmed for way less mess - yep, you're welcome, mama - so you can use them for eeeverything... From alphabet soup to applesauce to cereal to fruit to casseroles, fill 'em on up!
FEEL GOOD, FEED GOOD
Concerned about harmful plastics in your child's dishware? You can rest easy here.
Goobie Baby's bowls are toxin-free, food-grade, FDA and most importantly, parent-approved. They never contain BPA, PVC, phthalates, lead, cadmium, or mercury. Because you should always joy peace of mind at mealtimes.
GO ON, GRAB YOURS NOW!
Keep on reading, mama, cause we've got you!
THE BEST PLANE TRAVEL HACKS WHEN TRAVELING WITH A BABY
1) This one may or may not go against your typical routine at home, but when you're traveling with an infant or toddler, all of our normal parenting "rules" go out the window. And let me tell you - that's OKAY! You can even make it part of the fun if you want. So first - SNACKS!
Bring lots of snacks and toys. My kids will do anything for a snack, and I bet yours probably will, too.
Before your trip, head to the nearest Target or hit up your local grocery and stock up on all of the diaper bag friendly snacks and snack bags you can possibly fit in that bag of yours, mama. You'll be thankful for that little magical cheerio at some point on your travels!
2) Buy a new toy or two for the airplane so it keeps them occupied.
There's nothing like the allure of a new toy or book to grab that little one's attention for an extra bit. Again, make this part of the fun of traveling!
Head to the dollar bin at Target and find a few fun toys that you can surprise your babe with on the plane. Bonus points if they're inexpensive - if you happen to leave them behind on the plane on accident it'll hurt a little bit less!
3) Use the Goobie Baby Waste Bag Dispensers to keep trash and random bits of half-eaten snacks (there are those snacks again!) that will inevitably get crusted on your pants if you don’t dispose of them properly. :)
Whenever we travel on plane, I hang my bag off the little “coat hook” button on the side of the seat (some planes have this, some don't!). You can also hook it over the tray clutch or keep it in the seat pocket for easy and quick access. Either way, have it on hand!
Grab a Waste Bag Dispenser here!
4) Use a teething necklace to string together some toys so they don’t fall on the floor.
This may be my most favorite little traveling #momhack ever - it works great for the plane, car, train, stroller, anything where the babe needs to be entertained for a bit and the toys need to be kept clean and contained, too!
I use any of our teething necklaces (our Audrey teething necklace in maroon is pictured below) to create a little strand of endless entertainment - at least endless for thirty minutes or so. But hey, on a plane, I'll take any minute of entertainment we can get! ;)
If your baby is teething, our teething necklaces can double up as a natural relief for baby + if you string it with a couple of other fun teething toys, you've got a winner in this solution right here.
Shop all Goobie Baby Teething Necklaces
If you've done a bit of traveling with your babe, what tips do you swear by? Let's help all the mamas out with our very best tips. Leave a comment below and let me know!
]]>You've been on my heart lately.
You know you're rocking it, right?
You just grew and birthed or adopted or chose to or were thrown into this new thing. This new thing that has completely and utterly and totally changed your life in every single way, both big and small.
And you're doing it. You're absolutely doing it! You may feel all kinds of spaced out and overwhelmed, you may long to turn on Jack Johnson and dance a little bit as you unwind and cook a mean stir-fry with a glass of wine in hand, or you may be craving a long run with nowhere to be but on the trail, but new mama... you are DOING IT!
You're adjusting to your new beautiful, bigger, lovelier, more tired life. I know you're sitting there trying to take in every little bit of your new baby (or babies!! we see you, #mamaofmultiples!). That little nose that really can only be described as a "button nose" (you get it now, right?), the tiny fingers and the toes that you just want to gobble up, their sweet little mouth - you want to remember it all, for you know they're growing up right before you. But mama? You're growing, too.
You're growing into the woman you were always meant to become, into the mama that your baby was meant for. It's a beautiful, beautiful thing, to grow and change right alongside your baby.
I'm proud of you, new mama. It's not easy - this whole laying down your heart and your life for another - but it's the most beautiful honor.
And that glass of wine? Go ahead and pour yourself one. Just go ahead and make it a red, because it may take you a little bit longer to finish it these days. ;)
You've got this. Remember - you're doing amazing. You're a great mama.
We're proud of you, and we're here for you - every single step of the way.
Happy Mother's Day, new mama!
]]>Hello, hi mamas! I'm so excited to introduce you to the brand new Goobie Baby (which can also be referred to as my third baby - only this one doesn't need stinky diaper changes or loooongg bedtime routines! ;) )
The Goobie Baby you have come to know and enjoy has a brand new look!
I've always believed that mamas never lose themselves when they have their babes - not at all - but instead I think we become even better versions of ourselves. Supermamas, right?!
It's my goal with the new Goobie Baby to celebrate both baby AND mama - to create high-quality, beautiful pieces that are baby chic AND mama sleek.
Which leads me to our newest products...
Yup, new dinnerware!
We're upping the dinnerware game for kids with our sturdy, safe, and chic bamboo dinnerware available in the best colors of the season.
Take a peek at a few of the new Goobie Baby dinnerware options below. Your kiddos are going to love these sets - AND so is mama! No more corny plastic plates from the grocery store. ;)
If you're concerned about harmful plastics in your child's dishware, our reusable toddler plates are tested and proven to be toxin free and food grade. FDA and parent approved, they contain no BPA, PVC, phthalates, lead, cadmium, or mercury. Enjoy more peace of mind at mealtimes
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