Scoops' 1st Camping Trip

If you look closely, you can see a sleeping
baby under that rain-soaked jacket!

Another milestone has been met: we recently took Scoops on her very first camping trip! Really, I should call it "glamping" because we were in my late grandparents' old VW Vanagon, and in my mind any kind of camping that doesn't involve the campers setting up a tent is definitely more glamorous. Also, we had panoramic ocean views, so that's pretty bougey. I figured I'd probably lose my mind trying to camp with an infant in a tent, so I was grateful to my uncle (the van's current owner) for loaning the van to us. In the end, it rained most of the time we were camping, and I mean it rained like I wish it would have all winter long, so the van was pretty necessary or we would have bailed before we even got to the camp site. As it was, we spent the majority of the first day, which was the rainiest, sitting in the van watching and listening to the rain fall all around us. 

Following my own terrible advice from my How to Take Your Baby to the Beach post, I pretty much failed to plan ahead for this trip. It was a very last minute decision, and packing up and leaving last minute for anything with an infant is challenging, let alone 2 nights away from home, never mind 2 nights away from home in a camper van. I realized when we arrived and set up camp that I'd forgotten to pack a book to read, or even a deck of cards to keep us amused. Fortunately, I remembered the baby. She was pretty entertaining. We also brought our dog, who was content at least to be with us rather than alone at the house, but wasn't fond of the rain. Or camping in general, from what I could tell. All four of us cuddled close in that relatively small space made me glad, once again, that we have a very small dog. Anyway, the point I was trying to make is that we didn't need to be entertained. We get plenty of mental stimulation when we're at home, so while we were camping it was nice to just sit and be. It was nice to have little choice but to simply sit and be, actually. We listened to the rain, we talked and cuddled with each other, we napped (oh, the naps!), we watched the waves crash on the shore. Oh, and I'd be lying if I said I didn't take advantage of the park's WiFi a little while we were there, but I kept that to a minimum and would have been fine without it, honestly. (I may have been browsing vintage trailers for sale.)

The Pack 'n' Play was necessary for everyone's sleeping (and lounging) contentment.

Surprisingly, Scoops slept great both nights we were there. We set up her pack 'n' play on the floor of the van (after removing the rear-facing passenger seat and stashing it upside-down in the driver's seat), and my husband and I slept on the fold out bed in the back. It would have been fun to use the pop up tent on the roof, but the rain made that pretty impossible. Getting Scoops to fall asleep was our biggest challenge. It was colder at our campsite, even in a solid van, than her nursery usually is, and we still follow the recommended guidelines of no loose blankets in her sleeping area. We layered on two pairs of fleece pajamas and a hat, and that seemed to keep her pretty warm. After the first night though, she woke up with icy cold legs, so the second night I put my own fleece socks over her legs, and wrapped her mattress tightly with a thick, warm cable knit blanket. That did the trick! She was a perfectly normal temperature all over when she woke up the second morning. We also packed our white noise machine, which helped us all sleep better since our camping neighbors were a large and boisterous group of teenage boys (man, do I sound like an old lady). Like I said, getting Scoops to fall asleep was our biggest challenge, but once she was out she slept better than she had been sleeping at home. Actually, so did I and my husband. We slept well at night, and since the rain kept us indoors much of the time, we napped a lot during the day, too. It was so relaxing, and such a great chance to catch up on sleep without the nagging thought of laundry, or cleaning, or housework or whatever was left behind at home.

Now, where did we go? Any guesses? We went to the new Moro Campground at Crystal Cove State Beach. If you have the opportunity to camp here, snatch it up like you'll never see that opportunity again. Despite fervent research efforts, I can't seem to figure out exactly when this campground opened, but I can tell you it's only about a year, maybe 2, old. The bathrooms are pristine. There are single stall enclosed shower rooms, and they're clean. The campsites are immaculate and each one has a stunning ocean view. The entire campground is on tiered loops, so the sites on the bottom tier (Dolphin Circle) have the best views, but really you can't complain about the view from any of these campsites. Keep in mind, when you camp here you're not technically on the beach. You're up on a bluff, across PCH (Pacific Coast Highway) from the beach. To get to the beach, you have to walk down a sizeable hill (paved road) and through a tunnel that runs under PCH. Not too strenuous if you're averagely active. Getting there is easy, it's coming back up the hill that might make you catch your breath. There are beautiful and easy nature trails at the bottom of this same hill, and lots of learning stations that would probably be great at keeping older kids entertained (I enjoyed them). 

Dogs are allowed at this campground... but not much outside the actual camp site!

Keep in mind, if you take your dog with you, he is sadly not allowed on the dirt trails (which we unfortunately didn't realize until we'd walked about half of them... signage at all entrance points would be helpful). Dogs are also not allowed on the beach, and you can't just tie them up and leave them at your campsite. So, if you bring your dog, you'll be pretty much limited to your campsite and any paved roads (which are few). If you don't bring a dog, there are miles of beaches and backcountry trails to explore. You can also walk the historic district and check out the cool old homes (which are available for overnight rental, and many are actually right on the beach!) and dine at The Beachcomber. All of Crystal Cove is really a fun, historic place, and worth checking out even for just a day trip.

In order to make your camping trip the most successful, baby in tow or not, here are the must-have items I forgot to pack (don't make the same mistake!):

1. Soap
Those bathrooms and showers are clean, but they are not equipped with soap. Even if you're not showering, washing your hands with soap is way more effective than just using hand sanitizer the whole time. This should be a total "duh" point, but I haven't camped in a while and bringing soap totally slipped my mind. (No pun intended, I swear.)

2. Towels
See above. 

3. Compressed gas stove
We did not realize until we got there that open fires are not allowed at this park. It makes sense, really. The whole state is dry with this drought we've been stuck in, but this region in particular is always pretty dry. The Vanagon has a stove, yes, but it hasn't been used in years, and we didn't bother to fill up the propane tank before we left because we wanted to enjoy an open fire anyway. Ultimately, we drove down to the local shopping center the first night we were there and picked up tacos from Bear Flag. A great decision, actually, because those tacos are the bomb (oh, I said it). The rest of the time, we relied on dry or cold stuff from the grocery store that we had packed (muffins, hummus and chips, bananas, baby carrots, wrap sandwiches). It worked, but it wasn't ideal. I would have preferred to cook something hot for dinner if we'd had the ability.

And now for the must-have items I actually did think to pack, and that made camping with a baby ever so much easier:

1. Baby
You can't camp with a baby if you don't bring the baby.

2. Diapers
Cloth or disposable, whatever your thing is, bring a crap load of 'em (pun intended). I packed an entire box of size 2's, which is like, 80 friggin' diapers. Did I use them all? No. Was I glad I had them. You bet your ass I was.

3. Wipes
See above.

4. Play Yard
I was not confident in our ability to effectively co-sleep while camping, in a bed space that was not our usual bed, so for me a Pack 'n' Play was extremely necessary. Aside from providing a safe space for Scoops to sleep, it also gave her a safe space to sit, scoot, and play. This was more useful than I even thought it would be. If you're tent camping and don't have room for a play yard, I'm sure it's not actually necessary, especially if you're a co-sleeping pro (or if you have a small portable baby bed like one of those pod things). If you have the space, though, I vote for the Pack 'n' Play.

5. Snacks
It's amazing how much I eat when I'm not at home. Actually, it's amazing how much more I taste my food when I'm not at home.

6. Journal
If you don't journal, now's a good time to start. Sitting in the quiet of nature has a way of inspiring introspection, and journals are a great way to capture the fruits of that introspection. Even if you just use it to note the basic highlights of baby's first camping trip, my guess is you'll be glad you brought the journal.

7. Pillows
And sheets, if you're feeling ambitious. Dressing a full bed (air mattress, sheets, pillows and cases) is something I've been doing on most of my camping trips for the past couple of years (thanks, Sunset Magazine, for inspiring me to be an overachiever). It's one of those things that is so unnecessary, but can make a big difference in your enjoyment of the trip. I highly recommend this tactic to anyone who is not really fond of camping. Just use old sheets, preferably not white ones, that you don't mind getting dirty. Even if you'd prefer the simplicity of a good old fashioned sleeping bag, you'll probably still want a pillow. Bonus: if you're breastfeeding, you can use the pillow to prop baby on your lap during feedings (leave the nursing pillow at home!).

Avoid the drama: pack a teething toy.

8. Baby's favorite toy(s)
Pick 1-3 small toys that your child loves, that are always comforting. You're going to be in a new place, with new smells and sounds, and it might be hard for baby to adjust. Having a few favorite things from home will probably help baby feel more at ease.

9. White noise machine
Similar to the toys, and especially if this is something you use regularly at home, this is one item that will greatly help baby's new environment to feel more familiar. Just make sure you've got backup batteries!

10. Layers of warm clothing
For you and baby. Wherever you are in the US, it probably gets cold at night. At least for a baby. Bring warm layers, and add them as needed. If you don't need them, don't use them, but if you do need them, you (and baby) will be very glad you packed them!

So there you have it. Our first camping trip with a baby was a success, and we're looking forward to trying it again soon. The next adventure will be using a tent instead of a camper van! (And just to be clear, in the photo above, Scoops is crying not because she wasn't enjoying camping, but because she was royally pissed that we wouldn't let her eat the bubble level off the side of her car seat. Gotta have boundaries, mommies.)

Have you camped with an infant? How did it go? What made the trip successful (or not)?

6 Month Recap

It feels like Scoops just arrived yesterday, but she's already been here 6 months. I can't believe it! Strangely, while this all still feels so new, it also seems as if I've been living this reality my whole life. It's a mind-boggling paradox. 

In any case, it occurs to me that I haven't really kept this blog updated with Scoops' monthly growth, so I thought I'd share a little timeline recap of the past 6 months. I haven't lined these photos up yet for myself even, so I'm excited to see how much she's grown!

Scoops has been smiling since she was born, but at 1 month the smiles are bigger and more frequent than ever. I live to make her smile, and it's what gets me through the sleeplessness and exhaustion. She's doing lots of tummy time on my tummy (and daddy's, too!) and exercising her strong neck muscles. Her hair is thick, dark, and stick straight (except when it's damp). She is not a fan of baths, so we avoid them as much as possible. She sleeps in her rock-n-play, and I've developed a habit of saying "scoops" when I scoop her out of it. That's where the pet name originated!

By 2 months, Scoops has gained almost complete control of her neck and head. She is practicing rudimentary reaching and grasping. She often sneezes in threes, and the third sneeze often doesn't happen, which is ridiculously cute. Her hair is a teensy bit lighter than when she was born. She loves giving lots of big, wide smiles, but is still mostly pretty quiet. She is learning that she has a voice, and is just barely starting to experiment with it. Her cry is growing and changing as she is, and she's starting to lose that newborn "nnnahhh" sound. I left her with a babysitter (daddy) for the first time, and went to see The Nutcracker Ballet with my mom and sisters. I hardly watched the performance, and cried over how cute Scoops would be as a mouse/angel/toy soldier/etc.

Scoops has developed so much by 3 months! She just figured out how to hold on to her own teething ring, which makes me happy and relieved. Her hair is getting even lighter. She is getting more vocal. She loves to repeat "mama mamamamama," which makes me pretty excited. We have started attending a weekly breastfeeding group and hope to make some new friends. Scoops has just moved out of the rock-n-play in mommy and daddy's room, and is being put to sleep in her crib in the nursery. She's gotten so used to me snatching her hand and kissing it while I nurse her that she now habitually reaches her hand up for kisses while nursing. It's the sweetest thing ever. I've just launched this blog, and am officially staying home with Scoops for the foreseeable future. Hooray! It's a gift I wasn't planning on, and I am beyond grateful to be able to continue spending so much time with my sweet Scoops.

At 4 months, Scoops' hair has started falling out, and what's left is lighter still than last month. Just a few weeks ago, Scoops rolled onto her tummy, and several days later she rolled onto her back. By now, she is rolling front to back and back to front like a boss (it's hard to keep her off her tummy, actually). She has also figured out that she can make fun, loud noises with her little vocal cords, and is practicing by babbling away. She really sounds like she's uttering whole sentences in another language.  She also just started giggling, which is the newest reason for my existence. She's doing that falling reflex thing less and less now, which makes me a little sad. She slept through the night for the first time ever (like, for real slept through the night, from 8 p.m. to 6:30 a.m.), two nights in a row (literally, the two nights immediately before she reached 4 months of age, which is apparently when The Four Month Sleep Regression is supposed to happen - I find this ironic, and incredibly effing lucky).

Scoops' hair has stopped falling out (finally) by her 5th month. It's pretty thin and light, to the point where we're certain she's going to grow up blonde. She has discovered her toes, and they are now often in her mouth. When her toes are not in the way, she has long "conversations" with anyone who will engage with her, especially if they let Scoops hold their face so she can make sure they're listening attentively. She really likes to vocalize the "m" consonant, and insistently mumbles all day long, like she has so much to say that the words are just getting backed up in her mouth. She recently started sitting up with her hands supporting herself. She is getting pretty good at playing "Where's Mommy's Nose?" and often gets it right when I ask her that question. She's slept through the night several times this past month, but it's not her regular pattern yet. I get used to it in one night and then when she doesn't do it, I seriously feel it the next day!

Scoops is half a year old! Her hair has started growing back in, and looks lighter every time it gets washed (which, in her case, means every time it gets wet and then toweled off). She is sleeping through the night a small majority of the time. Our longest stretch on record was six consecutive nights! Woohoo! She is sitting up like it ain't no thang, but after a couple minutes she usually worms forward onto her belly to get into a crawling position. She's practicing a lot, but not crawling yet (thank goodness!). She's also practicing standing when daddy and I prop her against a wall or have her hold on to the side of her crib. She recently enjoyed her first trip to the beach, where she started sticking her tongue out to taste the ocean breeze, and didn't put her tongue back in her mouth for about a week. On her half birthday she tried her first solid food: avocado. It seemed to frustrate her (she mostly just wanted to chew on it and mash it in her hands, but not actually eat it). She comes up with new sounds about once a week. I really enjoy her shrill, chirpy-birdie singsong noises. I think I have a soprano on my hands! By now I am certain that when she says "mama" she is actually addressing me, as it usually only happens while she's crying and reaching for me. I'll take it!

These past 6 months have been the best of my life so far. I know it's cliche, but it's absolutely true. I love being this little girl's mommy, and am so excited to watch her grow and learn, and to grow and learn alongside her!

DIY Baby Handprint Craft

Pretty much since the moment I brought Scoops home from the hospital, I've been pining for a keepsake handprint. We got her footprints from the hospital, and my doula made a cute footprint keepsake for us when Scoops was a few weeks old, but I wanted a handprint to remind me when she is bigger of just how tiny those little hands and fingers were when they first wrapped around my finger. I bought one of those mess-free impression kits to try to make a handprint around Christmas time, before Scoops was 2 months old. Those of you who are not new at this parenting thing are laughing at me right now. That's fine, I deserve it. For those of you who haven't had a baby yet, let me just tell you how freaking impossible it is to get a newborn to open up her hand. So I tried that impression kit, the one sold at big box stores, the one "they" encourage expecting moms to add to the baby registry. I tried a good several times, but the kit failed me. If I managed to get a decent print, it wasn't deep enough and faded away within a few minutes. Most of the times I tried it, though, Scoops just closed her fist, grabbing the material and gouging a huge chunk out of the center. I thought about trying homemade salt dough, but the benefit to the kit is that it was mess-free. I'm pretty sure that using salt dough would have resulted in a fistful of sticky mess between my kid's fingers and palm. (Plus, at 2 months postpartum, I didn't really have the energy for a salt dough project.)

So I've been waiting, semi-patiently, for the first possible opportunity to get a handprint from Scoops. I told my husband that's all I want for my first Mother's Day, actually. But recently I noticed Scoops getting a little more focused and thoughtful with her grasping technique, and I thought maybe I could use that to my advantage. I started thinking of objects she could gently grab that would allow me to get a quick handprint, and came up with the idea to have her grab a papier-mâché Easter egg. Too bad I couldn't find one, but at Easter brunch my Aunt gave me a nice, large decorative egg for this project (it's lightweight, so... foam?). Fantastic! Free craft supplies! I decided a toilet paper tube would be the perfect thing for a test run, and my test prints actually turned out better than the final product, in my opinion. 

Just like my Christmas craft from January, I created this Easter craft after the actual holiday. It's less stressful that way, and you can get supplies on sale. If you don't have a holiday coming up and you're itching for a handprint like I was, you can just use a toilet paper tube for this craft (stay with me). Here's what you'll need for this project:

• a small paintbrush (mine is about 1/2" wide)
• something in which to mix paint - e.g. a palette, carryout container or lid, clean yogurt cup, paper plate
• paint (I used acrylic - white mixed with a little gold)
• baby wipes, or damp paper towels or rags
• toilet paper tube
• decorative egg or other rounded object (optional)
• optional - drinking glass (to hold your egg while it dries)

Step 1
Pull out at least a couple baby wipes (or damp paper towels or rags) and have them ready to tackle a certain small painted hand that'll undoubtedly be heading straight for a certain small curious mouth. As a frame of reference, I ended up using 7 baby wipes.

Step 2
In your palette or other mixing container, mix up your paint a few drops at a time until you get a color you like. I ended up with about a tablespoon of paint. (If you found a color you like, you can of course use it straight out of the bottle. Just give yourself a tablespoon or so in a palette so it's easier to dip your brush.)

Step 3
Holding baby's wrist with your non-dominant hand, use the paintbrush to spread a little paint onto baby's palm. If her hand is closed, brushing a little paint at the very base of the palm will likely get those fingers to relax and open up. It's ok if baby tries to grab the brush and squishes the paint around a bit, just make sure you get paint all the way to the ends of the fingers. 

Step 3
Still holding on to baby's wrist set your paintbrush aside. Present your toilet paper tube to baby and entice her to open up her hand and grab it. You may want to try this a couple times to get a feel for how firmly your baby will grasp, and how long she'll hold her grasp before she starts to move her fingers around (I did 2 test prints, both on the same tube). If the tube is your final project, you may want to have a backup tube or 2 on hand in case you're not happy with the results of your first attempt(s).

Step 4
If you're using another object for your final project, add a little more paint to baby's hand to make sure it's well covered, then still holding on to baby's wrist present the decorative egg (or other roundish object) to baby. Once baby grasps the object, gently but immediately remove it from baby's hand. *Note: my egg was covered in a lovely metallic foil, which made it much more slippery than a cardboard toilet paper tube. The downside of this is that it was harder to get a good print before Scoops' fingers started slipping all over the thing. The upside is that it was super easy to wipe the paint off with a baby wipe and start over. 

Step 5
Once you're satisfied with your print, set it aside (I balanced my egg on top of the toilet paper tube so it wouldn't roll around, but you could use a drinking glass if you want something more sturdy) and wipe baby's hand thoroughly with the baby wipe. When you don't see any more paint on baby's hand, head to the sink to wash off any residue that you might have missed. 

Step 6
When the paint is dry, you can personalize your project even further by using a permanent marker, or extra paint if you're artistically inclined, to add baby's name and the date or occasion to the back of your object. If the toilet paper tube is your final project, you can use scissors to cut a line up the back of the tube, flatten the tube into a rectangle, and then cut out the print you want to keep. Paste the cut out print onto decorative paper or card stock and frame it, add it to a shadow box, or put it in a scrapbook.

A few tips to make this project less of a headache:

I guess I should mention that I had Scoops in her high chair for this, and used the kitchen table to hold all my supplies. I honestly can't think of a better way to do this project. You really probably want your kid strapped into a chair that's at a reasonable height for you to stand next to, and near a table or other work surface.

If you have someone to help you with this either by handing you items as you need them or holding baby's paint-covered hand for you, that's ideal. I did this on my own, so it can be done, but it would have been much easier if I'd had another adult helping me! 

I highly recommend removing baby's clothes and having her wear a large bib you don't care about ruining. You probably want to wear clothes you don't care about as well.

Protect your work area with old towels, a drop-cloth, or newspaper, or do this project outside. (Honestly, I skipped this step, but that's because I'm incredibly impatient and kinda DGAF. I did at least lay down a paper towel on which to set my damp, painty supplies.) You may also want to do this near a sink, or have a bowl of clean water nearby to wash up baby and yourself immediately after.

Don't try this with a baby that hasn't been working on grasping much yet. Scoops is just under 6 months old, and I really don't think we could have pulled this off any sooner.

Let go of the illusion that this might come out perfectly. I don't know where those clever marketing people at Pearhead got their images, but I'm guessing it's either Photoshop or witchcraft. You'll get a handprint, and it'll likely be smudgy and imperfect. Accept and love that. I had a near-perfect print the first time, but decided it wasn't perfect enough and ended up causing myself and Scoops major frustration by wiping it off and trying another 5 times before I got a print that was almost as good as the first one.

If you try this project, let me know how it went! I'd love to read your stories (successful or otherwise) in the comments and see photos if you'd like to share!

Scoops' 1st Easter

This post is a little delayed, but hey, life. You get it. So how was your Easter? Did you make baskets for your babies? Scoops really enjoyed her basket, and actually seemed a little interested in discovering the contents on her own, rather than waiting for me to pull them out of the basket for her. I underestimated her curiosity! Here's a photo of the final product:

Sunglasses, a small toy, and a plush bunny: a perfectly sweet first Easter basket!

I ended up not using the notebooks I mentioned in my last post because they'll be more fun for Scoops when she can color in them. She also got lots of presents from family members, most notably the Pat the Bunny book I asked Grandma to give her. It brought back fond memories of my childhood (not that I remember actually having it read to me as a baby, but I remember seeing it later and hearing about how it was read to me as a baby). Here she is opening her Easter basket and enjoying her gifts:

 

And here she is starting to get a little overwhelmed by the sudden onslaught of gifts from pretty much everyone in attendance:

Hopefully she doesn't get used to that. I'm certainly not planning on having a second helping of Christmas gifts every Easter. She seemed to have a good day, though, and handled all the attention very well. It was good for me, too, to let Grandma show her off a bit to friends at church, let so many other people hold her and cuddle her and fawn over her, and to just take a step back and know that she was safe and in good hands. I've never felt more protective of anyone or anything in my life, but I'm starting to relax a little more now that she's older. It feels good to let go a little. Just a little, though, because she's still little. If nothing else, I'm practicing patience with myself in learning to let go and be more trusting!

Did you celebrate Easter? How was it? Were you around lots of people? If you're a new parent, was that scary for you (and did you pass your baby around)? If not, how have you learned to relax and let go (seriously, what's your secret)?

Baby's First Easter: Basket Ideas

Easter is almost here, and Scoops will be just shy of 6 months old when the fluffy patron saint of pastel candy makes his rounds. I wasn't going to make her an Easter basket, but then I found some cute miniature Dr. Seuss books in the dollar bin at Target and decided, meh, what the heck. (Side note: I also almost didn't give her any Christmas gifts since she was only a little over 2 months old then and I knew she wouldn't be able to unwrap anything or know what was going on. What was I thinking? I ended up feeling compelled to buy her some books and a few small toys, and now she loves them! Duh, mommy. The gifts will be there for her to play with when she's ready in a couple months! And books are pretty much never a bad idea.) I also found a cute pair of sunglasses, which I figured were necessary since the sun is often out now and Scoops' head is too frickin' tiny to properly support most brimmed hats for her age group. (Seriously, she's in, like, the first percentile for head circumference. It's daddy's fault, he has a tiny head, too. But hey, I'm not complaining!) Admittedly, I already used the sunglasses for her first beach day last weekend, but since she's not going to know the difference, I'm still planning to put them in her Easter basket. 

I figured I should probably look for ideas to add a few more items to the basket, and thought I'd share my findings with you. Here is a little round up of 5 Easter basket ideas from around the Web. I'm pulling a little inspiration from all of these!

These charming items suggested by Sara at Running from the Law would make a chic Easter basket for a new baby. She also has an inspiration board for an equally cute toddler Easter basket.

I like the no-fuss simplicity of this basket from Sierra and Faith over at Winks and Eyerolls. Practical items, but fun as well. (This is actually the same basket I'll be using for Scoops!)

This sweet pink basket from Jenny at Richly Blessed is honestly a little too frilly and full for my taste, personally, but I love some of the items she's included. I'm particularly fond of the Pat the Bunny book. If I could find my copy that was given to me as a baby, I'd put that in Scoops' basket for sure!

I love all the non-candy items Julie, from the girl in the red shoes, used in this adorable basket. Sensible items, like a sippy cup and socks, and fun stuff, like bubbles and a plush toy, strike a nice balance here.

And lastly, this super chic shopping guide from Kate at The Shopping Mama is simply beautiful. I like that she's also listed the approximate price of each item included, so you can plainly see how easy it is to put together a $100+ Easter basket! ;-)

I did feel inspired to get a pretty wooden toy like the ones shown in Kate's list, and found this Baby Car from Plan Toys at a local shop (shout out to Granola Babies!). It was $15, but it's the only "expensive" thing I'm putting in the basket. I'm also adding a plush bunny, as a few of the inspiration baskets above have, that a Great Aunt of mine gifted me at my baby shower. Scoops hasn't played with it yet since she's pretty easily entertained by the same few toys right now, so I think this is the perfect time to introduce it to her. I'm using a basket that's been lying around the house not being used, and I'll decorate it with paper "grass" and ribbon saved from previous projects and gifts received in the past (I save almost all packaging from gifts I've been given - everything can be used at least twice!). Here's what I've got to work with, about a $25 total investment after sales tax:

Turns out those cute little books are actually blank notebooks (way to read the packaging, mama), so I think I'll wait to give them to Scoops until she can effectively wield a crayon. Hey, maybe Grandma will buy a Pat the Bunny book I can throw in there instead. :-) Even without a book, this sweet little basket will have 3 nice gifts inside it. Easter shouldn't rival Christmas in terms of gifts, in my opinion. I'm just happy to mark the special occasion of my sweet Scoops' first Easter with a cheerful little set of small gifts for her.

UPDATE: Click here to see the finished product!

Are you putting together an Easter basket for your little one? How old will she or he be this Easter? What items are you including in the basket?

How to Take Your Baby to the Beach (in 21 Simple Steps)

This past weekend we took Scoops to the beach for the very first time. She's seen the ocean before, because we happen to live near it, but she hadn't had a beach day until now. She practiced (and pretty much mastered) the art of sitting up while on the beach blanket, but I'm sure the small divot I made in the sand for her butt played a part in that. She was pretty intrigued by the sand, liked being out in the fresh air and bright sunshine, and cried when we put her toes in the chilly water. We giggled and smiled, we snacked, we relaxed. Scoops even got targeted by a rude bird taking a mid-air deuce. It was perfect. (Would have been more perfect without the bird poop, actually, but I'll take what I can get.)

It wasn't until we were packing up to leave that I realized how much sh crap we brought with us. As my husband commented on the way home, "In my day, we brought a towel." Mine as well, dear. But now we have an infant, and while I'm sure we'll get better at this over time, this time we packed the whole house.

So without further ado, here are my (not so serious) tips for taking your baby to the beach for the first time in just 21 simple steps.

1. Wait until the morning of to start gathering your stuff. Whatever you do, ignore the reasonable voice in your head telling you to pack the car the night before. Really, it can wait. The adrenaline and frustration you experience with trying to pack your bags and then the car while the baby is awake will only fuel your speed-packing abilities. Besides, isn't there a rerun of The Bachelor on tonight?

2. Arise nice and early when your sweet baby does, promptly at 6 a.m. Feed the baby, and then fall back asleep. Did you think I'd advise you to get moving and get to the beach before the crowds descend on all the available parking? No. Review step 1 regarding adrenaline and frustration. It's good for you.

3. Roll out of bed bleary eyed and cranky about 9 a.m. Change the baby's diaper.

4. Hopefully you've already acquired a bathing suit, rash guard, bucket hat, and sunglasses for your sweet little cherub. No matter, pack clothes anyway. Who knows how long you'll be out? Infants are hardy and versatile, after all, and the last time you went day drinking near the beach you were out all day. It could get chilly between your early morning arrival at the sand and your sunset departure. Pack a long-sleeved onesie, a short-sleeved onesie, two pairs of pants, four pairs of socks (hey, they fall off and get lost), a fitted hat, and a jacket. Reread that list. Pack duplicates of each of those items, just in case. And make sure they match. God help you if they don't match. Bonus points if they coordinate with whatever you're wearing (but don't actually match what you're wearing, just coordinate -- you don't want to look like you're trying too hard).

5. Pause to change the baby's diaper.

6. Ask your partner to make you breakfast, because you're busy changing the baby's diaper. Wait, no. Forget to ask for breakfast, because you're distracted by that adorable little face. Just change the diaper. That's all.

7. Put on your bathing suitDONOTLOOKINTHEMIRROR! Don't do it. You look fine. Just step into the suit, and step. Away. From the mirror.

8. Pause to feed the baby again. (Spoiler alert: she's going to need another diaper change when you're done.)

9. Change the baby's diaper.

10. Pack two kinds of sunscreen (lotion for you because you're sensible, spray-on for your partner because he won't wear it anyway). Don't forget that infants can't wear most brands of sunscreen before 6 months of age, and pack a ridiculously heavy jar of coconut oil for baby's sun protection. As you did for baby, pack yourself some clothes for later. Shorts, a tank top, a T-shirt, jeans, sweatpants, a hoodie, and a hat you have no intention of wearing. Cram all items into several small bags. You could put it all in one big bag, but there's no challenge in hauling one bag out to the car. Don't you want to challenge yourself?

11. Lug your many small bags and squishy baby towards the car, grabbing last minute items like several baby carries, extra shoes for yourself, and snacks as you head towards the door. Don't worry if these extra items don't fit in your many bags. Just tuck them under your arm. The one that's not holding the baby, preferably.

12. Drop your items by the door and go back inside to change the baby's diaper.

13. Put the baby in her car seat, then pack all your crap into the car. Wait. Was that a squishy poop sound coming from the direction of your little angel? Go back to change the baby's diaper.

14. Reinsert baby into her car seat. Start your engine (the car, duh!). Go back into the house (please leave your partner in the car to mind the baby) to get your partner's jacket. You could have packed this when you were packing your own things, but you thought for sure he packed his own sh stuff.

15. Get back in the car and buckle your seat belt. Wait. Did you remember to pack 16 pairs of baby socks? You better go grab a couple, just to be safe.

16. Drive to the beach. Argue with your partner on the way there about which beach you'll drive to. You didn't talk about this last night when you weren't packing the car? Good. It's much better to just assume you both mean the exact same fu effing thing when you say "The Beach."

17. Sit in predictable beach traffic for FOUR HOURS before circling the parking area NINE TIMES and passing by at least THREE SPOTS that you pointed out but your partner didn't want to stop the car to claim. Make your partner stop the car obnoxiously in the middle of parking lot traffic so you can take your screaming child out of the car and go feed her. Grab the diaper bag, and nothing else of your boatload of luggage. Let your partner circle the lot another nine times, or as long as it takes to find parking.

18. Since you only grabbed your baby and the diaper bag, have a seat on the sand and begin to feed your darling little squish. Feel the healing power of the waves as you watch them crash on the shore, let the warmth of the sun melt the tension in your shoulders, and silently curse whomever just dared to light that disgusting cigarette as they walked past you at a distance of 25 feet. Give in to the sights, sounds, and smells that surround you, relaxing as your toes wiggle into the sand and your baby begins to doze in your arms, exposing your boob in all it's milk-spraying glory to the entire beach.

19. Smile angelically at your partner as he lugs the first load of sh crap across the sand. Don't feel guilty for not helping. You're holding the baby (she needs a diaper change, by the way). Wait patiently as your partner repeats the trip at least once more to get the rest of the crap you packed for your sojourn to the sand. (Spoiler alert: you won't be here that long.)

20. Pray that a bird doesn't sh poop on your baby. 

21. Enjoy watching your baby experience the sun, sand, and salt water. Take too many pictures. Don't stress about how dirty everything is getting. Tell your partner you love him. Smile. Have fun. Like every day, you'll never get this one back, and this one happens to be your baby's first day at the beach.