So Sabrina got her fourth tooth today. Top left. This is a good thing because with only three she was really starting to resemble a jack-o-lantern. An incredibly cute jack-o-lantern, but a jack-o-lantern nonetheless. But suddenly it occurs to me that I can’t remember when she got her first three teeth. I know she had the two bottom ones when we went to visit Grandma and Popi at the end of August. I know she got the third sometime between then and now. But I don’t have it written down anywhere. Yes, she does have a baby book, but it is empty – not because I don’t care or don’t have notes. I do, on scraps of paper next to my bed in a very orderly pile. I just figured I would fill it out this winter on some cold, miserable mid-western winter day. She will be turning one next month and I thought that waiting until after her first birthday wasn’t such a big deal. (I’m hoping to finish Jesse’s that day as well, and he’ll only be turning three this winter!)
Anyway, I started to get really upset that I was treating Sabrina as the typical second child – fend for yourself, make lots of noise to get noticed, never have enough pictures/video/birthday cards – and then she looked up at me and said “Mama.” And she knew what she was saying and she meant it. And my heart melted. I realized then that though I didn’t write down anywhere when the first time she said “Mama” was, it doesn’t matter. It doesn’t mean I love her any less. It just means I enjoy every second I spend with her in the moment, and for that we are both incredibly lucky.
This is one in an ongoing series of posts from the Green Daddy’s wife, Courtney, who will weigh in periodically with thoughts on being a proud (and occasionally frustrated) mama.
We get a lot of first-time clients here at GB who are overwhelmed by the prospect of swapping out everything in their cabinets/bedrooms/playrooms for non-toxic replacements. And we always recommend the same thing…
Relax!
We’re the first to beat the drum for non-toxic alternatives to conventional (read: toxic or at least highly questionable) products, but we’re also serious when we suggest that our customers take things one step at a time. Address the easy, less expensive, yet highly important areas first – namely bottles, pacifiers, sippy cups. Next, if you can afford to do it, swap out that mattress. From there, start replacing the bad with the good when it comes to anything absorbed by your baby’s skin – soaps, shampoos, moisturizers, sunscreens, creams, etc.
Once you’ve got the ball rolling, be more mindful when it comes to items like toys, clothing, furniture and the like. The important thing is to change your mindset and start somewhere.
It’s kind of like that term paper you kept putting off in college. Just write the first page and everything will start falling into place.
Firsts. Milestones. Developmental progress. Every book, talkshow and child-raising guru addresses these highlights in our children’s young lives.
First time he sat up. First time she crawled or walked. His first words (always dada, then eventually mama). First time baby sleeps through the night – aaaah.
What nobody talks about are the rights of passage. The first stomach flu, scarlet fever or pink eye. The first haircut. The first fall down the stairs. (Hopefully that only happens once. Per kid.)
And the first day of school.
Tim and I have been through all of these other rights of passage with both our kids (though Sabrina is not yet 11 months old, she’s already done it all) but today is Jesse’s first day of school.
I didn’t think I would be emotional about it. After all, I am a working mom. He sees me off each day with a shout out of “I love you. See you later. Bye Mommy.” He then goes about his day without me. And each night he welcomes me home with a huge hug, kiss and priceless smile.
So as I sit in traffic during the morning commute consumed with the fact that my baby isn’t a baby anymore, it occurs to me that his first day of school will be like most other days for him – a new experience full of wonder and excitement and maybe a little anxiety too. It is a first for him, like many things are to a 2 1/2 year old. And all those rights of passage? Well those are mine, and this day is my right of passage too.
I love you baby! Have fun!
A note from the Green Daddy: This is my wife Courtney’s first post; she will be a regular, if sporadic, contributor to the Bambino Blog.
I’m outside with my son, daughter and pooch this fine AM, enjoying my morning coffee, some damp grass and the rising sun. (Yes, they get up WAY too early). At 2 1/2, my son is pretty self-sufficient, riding his scooter up and down our driveway – helmet on, off course. Stella (my English Bulldog/shadow) is munching on some plant that, though sure to make her puke, is occupying her nicely. All I’m left to do is watch out for my 10 month old daughter. She can’t walk yet, so she can’t go very far. Easy enough, right?
Or so you’d think…for some ungodly reason, my baby girl has an addiction to rocks, moss, twigs, leaves and anything else she finds on the ground. Turn around for a moment, and when you look back she’ll flash a two-tooth grin and a mouthful of dirt. So I have to keep my eyes on this one, but I’m accustomed to handling it.
This morning has presented a new challenge, however. Overnight, my lawn has decided – without my approval, mind you – to morph into a full-blown mushroom farm. Now I know my toxins, but I’m no horticulturist. Still, even a dyed-in-the-wool city boy like me has a pretty good idea that naturally-occurring mushrooms of unknown variety are probably not a good thing for a baby.
So what the heck am I supposed to do? Go back inside? Not an option. I dare you to tell my son to come back in the house when he’s in full-blown outdoor mode. You haven’t seen a look so scary since Zoolander.
And then I realized…It’s Friday! Grass-cutting day!
So I did what any self-respecting city boy would do…watched my daughter like a hawk until the landscapers came.
You see, before becoming a dad nearly 3 years ago, I was overwhelmed by all the new stuff we were going to need for our little boy. Overwhelmed might be an understatement actually. I was kind of freaked out.
My wife and I were sharing a 750 sq. ft. apartment in Manhattan with our slobbering, snoring English Bulldog Stella, and adding another living, breathing soul to the already cluttered mess that was our home was a little terrifying. Maybe that 8-foot, sharp-edged glass dining room table was not the best use of what little space we had, especially with an ill-coordinated, helpless new being on the way. But why harp on decisions already made? We had enjoyed at least one dinner requiring that monstrosity’s full length over the past 5 years, so it must have been a worthwhile purchase. Still, I sensed we might need to become more – how shall I say it – selective in our spending decisions going forward.
And that’s when it all began. As I came to grips with how completely our tiny world was about to be overrun by all manner of baby gear, I concluded that our purchases better be good ones, or otherwise we’d run out of space, fast. So my OCD kicked in and I began to research all the things we would need for our son. But my quest to make sure we bought only the best, most useful stuff quickly morphed into something else entirely.
My research had shined a light on something downright disturbing. What in the world was going on here? It seemed that nearly everything was tainted by unpronounceable toxins – mattresses, shampoos, diapers, clothing, toys, sippy cups, pacifiers. I had unknowingly jumped down a rabbit hole, and there was no getting out. I was now on a mission to find not just the best products, but the best non-toxic products.
The truth is, I’m a practical sort. My kids will be exposed to bad things one way or another, be it curse words or lunchroom food, and I don’t lose too much sleep over it. But I felt an obligation to at least shield my kids from the real dangers I had discovered.
Over the next year I became a resource for friends who were similarly concerned about their children’s health but didn’t have time to sort through the clutter and find the right products themselves. That’s when I realized there was an opportunity to help not just my friends, but average parents everywhere who just want to make their kids’ lives a little better, a little safer, a little bit at a time.
So about 9 months ago I launched Greeno Bambino. It’s a place where you can find a highly edited selection of non-toxic products for kids – the best items in every category, from bottles, teethers, lotions and clothing to toys, furniture, gifts and accessories. I also wanted to make Greeno Bambino into a resource, one filled with the type of information and advice you’d need to make smarter decisions for your little bambinos. That’s where this blog – the Bambino Blog, if you will – comes into play (albeit a little belatedly).
Speaking of bambinos, I am now the very proud dad of a beautiful 10-month-old girl. So with a new little princess to protect, it would be fair to ask, “What, me worry?”
