Name That Baby!

Bruce Lansky—better known as the "Baby Name Guru"—shares his forecast of the hottest trends for baby naming in 2010:

Boys' Names
The upcoming trends for naming a new baby boy include using various spellings of sound-alike names (Jayden, Aiden, Hayden, Caden); using Old Testament names (Eli, Isaac, Nathan, Aaron); using Irish names (Brody, Liam, Connor); and using Western "C" names (Carter, Cooper, Colton, Chase).

Girls' Names
The upcoming trends for naming a new baby girl include using sound-alike names (Chloe, Zoey, Riley, Kylie); using faith-based names (Genesis, Nevaeh, Leah, Sarah); using "place" names (Brooklyn, Sydney); and using old-fashioned names (Madeline is most popular).

For more insight on naming a new addition, check out Bruce's full reports on Facebook here. Or, read his book 100,000 Plus Baby Names.

—Gretchen

Little Walker!

Last weekend, I spent lots of time with my favorite (almost) 1-year-old, Marley. The last time I visited Little Miss Marley she was 6 months old. SIX months old! And now she's turning one in less than a month. How time flies.

Our visit was filled with lots of Cheerios, peek-a-boo laughter and TONS of trips around the living room. Let me explain: Marley is on the brink of walking. She constantly wants to "walk" around the room with some assistance (from her stroller, shown in the photo) or from an adult. It was a riot to take turns walking her around — but after awhile I can see why my friend Ann is anxious for her daughter to walk. (Ahem, backache?)

But, Marley has plans of her own ... she'll walk when she wants to! In the meantime, what tips might you share to help Ann boost Marley's walking confidence? And, what are some similar stories you have about your tot learning to walk?

—Gretchen

Get Dotty!

Fun wall decorations can spruce up the atmosphere of any nursery, but now you can improve the room’s décor while enhancing your newborn’s eyesight development.

Wallcandy Smarts pattern kit’s black and white geometric designs are created to appeal to babies. According to the Web site, images similar to the ones in the kit have been scientifically proven to grab a child’s attention and promote visual growth.

The Smarts kit includes over 50 moveable and reusable decals that can be mixed and matched. Start off with a simple, black and white pattern, and add more color and detail as your little one grows.

Stimulate your baby’s motor skills and add some fun to her wall. Get the Smarts kit for $24.99 online.

—Mari Park

BPA-Free Feeding Products

You might recall reading about the safety concerns of plastic drinking products in February's DallasChild article, Plastic's Not Fantastic. As the article points out, toxic chemicals — mainly Bisphenol-A (BPA) — can leach from plastic baby bottles and sippy cups, causing possible damage to immune systems and brain development (according to the National Institutes of Health).

Online shopping moms can find a wide selection of BPA-free bottles at the Modern Baby Barn — a one-stop shop for an assortment of new-age baby products, such as the Wee-Go Glass Bottle (mentioned in February's article; see above right).

Some new additions to our list of baby- and kid-friendly feeding products (that put mom's mind to rest!):The Green to Grow Bottle — it's BPA and phthalate free and made from PES plastic, which gives the bottle a natural golden color.The Siliskin Glass Bottle — similar to the Wee-Go, this naturally BPA-free glass bottle is stylishly encased in colorful silicone.The Boon Fluid Sippy — a erognomic and BPA-free toddler cup fit for the son or daughter of mod parents. (Find Boon in-store at mod + mini, Dallas; The Right Start, Plano; and more.)

The Safe Sippys — another alternative to glass or plastic: non-leaching medical-grade stainless steel. These colorful sippy cups are stylish and easy to clean. (Find these in-store at Lone Star Baby & Kids, in Dallas or Frisco.)

Leak Detection

Much has been made of that shocked, soaked moment of surprise when a pregnant woman’s water breaks – a humor- and clothing-drenched moment that’s fodder for giggles in countless movies. In real life, things don’t always happen so clearly. Sometimes, it’s hard to tell if you’re actually losing amniotic fluid, or you may be experiencing wetness but it’s nowhere near time for labor and delivery.

Now, there’s a new home test that helps detect amniotic fluid. AmniScreen is a panty liner that tests for elevated pH levels, which could indicate leaking fluid. The test is suitable for pregnant women experiencing unexplained vaginal wetness and women with high-risk pregnancies, woman who’ve undergone amniocentesis and women who have experienced prior amniotic fluid leakage.

AmniScreen is available by prescription only, and results should be interpreted by a medical professional. Ask your doctor about amniotic fluid leakage and testing.

High-Stakes Births, High-Stakes Drama

Why is it so captivating to watch other women deal with the kind of pressures that exhaust us in our own lives? Deliver Me, a gritty new TV docu-series from Discovery Health, is just the ticket for escaping the daily grind at the end of a busy, blustery March day. Complex pregnancies and high-risk births are everyday occurrences for Drs. Alane Park, Yvonne Bohn and Allison Hill -- best friends who became partners in a demanding Los Angeles OB/GYN practice. All three are mothers themselves, juggling the pressures and emotions of delivering their patients' children with those of raising their own.

Settle in on the couch on Tues., March 4 at 10pm (ET/PT), as Deliver Me gives you a behind-the-curtain peek at the professional and personal lives of these doctors and the patients they treat. It’s high-stakes drama, “How does she do that?” voyeurism and sweet, fresh babies all wrapped up in a single sweep-away-the-remnants-of-the-day package. (Stop by the Deliver Me web site for pregnancy and new mom’s tips, baby games, labor facts and more.)

Fresh baby gear with Peppermint

Hey mamas, there’s a fresh new spot for all things baby in town. Peppermint Baby Boutique in Richardson hosts its grand opening this Saturday with a special preview of Ricki Lake’s new movie The Business of Being Born, a donation drive for needy babes, free classes for moms – and of course, great shopping!

Owned by babywearing advocate and expert Marni Matyus, Peppermint.com and The Sling Station are the largest retailers of baby slings in the nation. The Peppermint Baby Boutique features a baby sling showroom, organic baby products and breastfeeding supplies and parenting classes.

The controversial birth documentary The Business of Being Born will show at 11:30am and 2pm; movie admission is $5, or free with the donation of a baby item. Donations are being accepted on behalf of The Network of Community Ministries, so bring in your baby basics: diapers, wipes, toiletries and baby food. A baby fair will run throughout the day with free demonstration classes including yoga for moms, baby sign language and sling/carrier use and selection. Want a shot at a $100 gift certificate? Enter the Peppermint Baby mascot contest and create the Peppermint Baby with dolls or other crafts.

Hit Peppermint’s grand opening Sat., Feb. 23 from 11am-4pm at 1778 N. Plano Rd., Suite 100 in Richardson. For more details, visit Peppermint or call 214/623-5080.

From Russia With Love

You don't have to be Madonna or Angelina Jolie to add a child from a foreign country to your own family. Fort Worth’s nonprofit Gladney Center for Adoption is one of just 17 agencies in the United States that have been reaccredited by the Ministry of Education and Science in Russia to provide adoption services for Russian children.

Gladney's Intercountry Adoption Programs have successfully placed thousands of babies and young children in homes throughout the United States. These programs offer adoption opportunities from Eastern European, African, Asian and Latin American countries.

Is adopting from abroad right for your family? Learn more at the Gladney web site.

~ Lisa

What would you do for love?

The October issue of Babytalk magazine features a poignant page of quotes from parents whose children have lost their loveys -- blankies, teddies and all manner of beloved items. My family's keepsake chest contains an entire section especially for retired loveys. Doggums, my own patched grey poodle from what my kids call Ancient Times, holds court over an assortment of dingy, patched seals, bears and other barely identifiable creatures. When I open the chest to take out a new season's worth of hand-me-downs, the whole family inevitably gathers around to greet and pay homage to our dearly departed loveys.

There's nothing sweeter than a reunion with a lost lovey. Have your children ever lost a lovey? What did you do to get it back? Leave us a comment and share your sweetest lost-lovey reunions!

~ Lisa

Have pump, will travel

Nursing moms, take to the skies! If you’ve been holding back on traveling (or even hesitating to begin plotting out holiday plans) for fear of difficulties getting pumped breast milk through airport security – worry no more. The Transportation Safety Administration (TSA) now permits breast milk to be carried in any quantity, as long as you declare it for inspection at airport security checkpoints.

Moms who’ve traveled since the change of policy in August warn that not all security agents have caught up on the relatively new policy. Be prepared! Make visual inspections easier by using clear containers, which may help prevent agents from pouring breast milk into another container in order to inspect it. The milk may also be X-rayed. Print out a copy of the TSA's information on traveling with breast milk, formula or juice and be prepared to show the policy to agents or ask for a supervisor if you run into any difficulties.

Bon voyage!

~ Lisa

Tread Lightly, Friend

OK, so Shelley blogged about my uterus yesterday (um, yeah, note of thanks to her, lol), but can you blame a girl for being excited about her first bundle of joy? Come on ladies, you know you’ve probably bored more than one unsuspecting friend with loads of pregnancy details (me included!).

But here’s the thing, I think my hubby is just as bad as I am in the details department (he’s not chatting incessantly, but more task-oriented). In the last nine months, Chris (the aforementioned hubby) has found a daycare for “Peanut” (interviewed the staff , checked references, etc.), scoured the Internet for baby gear like he was on a quest for gold, researched and investigated every baby/pregnancy topic imaginable (when I was having cramping one day he checked Web MD and “diagnosed” my condition) and now he has secured an interview with a possible pediatrician.

But, as much as I love this doting hubby of mine, he just broke the daddy-to-be credo that says “Thou shalt not push, anger or irritate my pregnant wife.”

Earlier today we had a conversation that went a little something like this:

Chris: “We have an appointment next week with Dr. D to discuss the possibility of him being ‘Peanut’s’ pediatrician.”
Me: “Awesome, honey, thank you for taking care of that.”
Chris: “He has privileges at our hospital, he’ll check ‘Peanut’ each day we’re in the hospital and he’ll schedule a follow-up visit for us in his office for three days after discharge.”
Me: “Wow, you’re on the ball. Thank you.”
Chris: “So, um, yeah. Besides having this baby, what is it exactly that you’re, doing?”

WHAT? HUH? IS THIS MAN CRAZY?

He IS laughing when he says this, but let’s just say that this little hubby of mine better sleep with one eye open. (lol?)

~Tessa

TMI

Sorry we haven't been blogging much this week ... we are busy beavers trying to get ahead. In fact, we're already thinking about back to school issues and our kids are still IN school. (I have to keep reminding myself that even though I'm in fall mode for the magazine, I still have to survive summer at home ... btw, we'll have great tips to do just that in the June issue.)

Just thought I'd share a little Tessa story with you. So, I'm minding my own business, drilling down through folders on our work server, when all of a sudden a random image of Tessa's uterus pops up! She's had about 100 ultrasounds during her pregnancy and must be scattering images of her baby-to-be in utero so we don't forget about her when she takes off on maternity leave. Tessa, Tessa, Tessa!

If you're a mom-to-be, you should check out our Spring/Summer issue of babydallas, which hit the newsstands recently. Not only will you find some humorous essays penned by the very pregnant, yet very svelte, Tessa (SO not fair), we've got lots of up-to-the-minute health and development info you won't want to miss (including why you should think about hypnobirthing and baby signing). -- shelley

Just a Case of Cold Feet?

Webster defines cold feet as “apprehension or doubt strong enough to prevent a planned course of action.” But is it OK for expectant mommies to feel the freezing effects? I mean, hello, this little man of mine is coming, my ice-cold tootsies be darned.

Until last weekend (I was in my hometown for my baby shower) I hadn’t had one moment’s pause about being a mommy — labor and delivery, yes, being a parent, never. However, early Saturday morning, I woke up in a cold sweat, unable to catch my breath with my heart clamoring wildly in my chest. I was literally panicking (or, to put it more eloquently, freaking out) about being a parent.

Streams of questions kept running through my head: Will my child like me, will he love me? What if I’m too strict or not strict enough? Am I destined to be a bad mom because I’m suddenly terrified? What does this all mean?

I was shocked by my sudden and unexpected attack of self-doubt.

I’ve since calmed down and am back in my happy baby bubble, but I’m no longer naive enough to think this can’t happen again. I need some mommies to weigh in on this one. Are these pre-baby freak-out flashes normal? And, if so, how do I assuage them when they attack? E-mail me your stories of survival (lol) at senior.editor@dallaschild.com.

-Tessa

The Beanbag Blues

I just uncurled from the fetal position and hoisted myself off a mammoth, denim beanbag chair I drug into my office from the company playroom. I have entered, unknowingly, the UNCOMFORTABLE, PAINFUL stage of pregnancy and I have to confide, I’m not fairing so well (makes me wonder who’s the real baby here, me or Peanut, lol).

Braxton Hicks contractions have become my constant companion, as well as cramping in pretty much any area sandwiched between my rib cage and pelvic bone that can cramp. Plus, I have the added bonus of having heart palpitations – yee ha! I have a small heart condition, that, until now, has been quite manageable, but boy has pregnancy thrown a wrench into that. =)

Being such an exhausted weenie has me simultaneously summoning for an early delivery and wishing the day would never come (Can I REALLY handle labor? I wince and whimper with “faux” contractions).

My mom did offer some e-mail inspiration this morning that lifted my spirits, though:

“I hope you are feeling better, but I am not sure that is going to happen until lil’ Peanut arrives safe and sound! So just remember that this is what being a Mommy is all about ... giving of yourself and in spite of what you need. It is all about your child ... this is one thing that will never change! Get ready.”

She’s right. I have to keep reminding myself that every ache, pain, cramp and contraction are signs of wonderful things to come — namely One, Little, Wrinkled, Screaming, Pinkish Thing. =)

I think this means the beanbag and I are going to become best buds.

Have a wonderful weekend
-Tessa

P.s. I only WISH I looked as happy on my beanbag as the woman pictured above, lol.

O, My!

Big news! Huge news in fact! The ladies from IntelliGender (I first mentioned this mom-founded company on Oct. 30 in my blog Boy or Girl?) have been wooed by none other than the queen of the talk-show circuit herself, Ms. Oprah Winfrey!

(I wrote about my experiences with the at-home gender detection test in our February issue, so, um, yeah, we scooped O … oh, yeah! Lol.)

One of the co-founders, Rebecca, contacted me earlier this month to let me know that she and her business partner, Teresa, were going to be filmed for a segment dubbed “Moms with the Next Big Idea.” A fantastic opportunity for the company and I am so thrilled for them, but in my tiny, little corner of the world, you know what the best part is? The ladies asked if they could have a “sample of my solution” to use during the taping to show how the test works. Odd request, I know … but for me, it was thrilling … this may be the closest I ever get to being on Oprah, lol.

Since my test on Halloween determined I was carrying a boy (and several sonos and another IntelliGender test have confirmed), the ladies also needed “girl solution.” The only girl mommy-to-be I could think of was the wife of one of my husband Chris’ coworkers (she’s due the same time I am).

Having only met Tonya once, I knew asking her for such an offbeat thing would be a stretch, but I wanted to give it a shot. In the nicest, most politically correct way I could (is that even possible when you’re asking a stranger for a sample of urine?), I e-mailed Tonya and explained my — ahem — needs.

She was a total trooper! By the next day Tonya had agreed (she must share my same affinity for Oprah — that or it makes a great story to tell). Our husband’s joked that their wives were going to have “famous pee pee” — boys, what can you say? =) And last Friday Rebecca and Teresa collected our donations.

Armed with the Aquafina bottle sample (that would be mine) and the Gatorade jug (Tonya’s), the IntelliGender chicas were set — well, sort of. Rebecca e-mailed on Saturday to let me know that they (thankfully) had the forethought to each take half of the samples … just in case (you know the whole flying with “liquids” thing). Turns out Rebecca’s set of samples were confiscated by security!

She wrote: “Teresa made it with both solutions safely tucked away and double bagged in her luggage. Boy, that was a learning experience. The security guys told me I couldn’t travel with a baby bottle of apple juice without the baby. I informed him it wasn’t apple juice. =) That created quite a bit of curiosity! I’m usually pretty persuasive, but I didn’t win that battle!”

The ladies made it to the Oprah taping and now it’s a waiting game … the “winners” of the Moms With the Next Big Idea won’t be announced until April 27.

Stay tuned!

-Tessa

Baby Loot I’m Loving

The final countdown to “Peanut’s Debut” is on and I can hardly stand it! But I have found one fun way to make the days fly by … bulking up on baby gear. There are so many great new items available on the web for tots so I thought I’d share a few of my favs.

The folks at Saracina Designs have created a wonderful line of onesies and tees that boast fun, kid-friendly designs with simple artwork and catchy phrases. I can’t wait to see Peanut in the one I nabbed: it has the word “dream” with a graphic of a boat beneath … aww, be still a mommy’s heart.

Like most of the women I know, I’m OBSESSED with Grey’s Anatomy, so when I saw a company, Doodle Doo Designs, that had the genius forethought to emblazon a onesie with the word “McCutie,” how could I not fall in love!

During my “infertile myrtle” phase, I received a sample of a pink pacifier with my name stamped on the front. I thought it was a cute idea (I could just imagine the accidental binky swapping at daycare) and took it as “a sign” of things to come. Well, look at me now, lol. I ordered three pacifiers from My Pacifier with Peanut’s name on them and am counting down the days until I get to put them to good use.

I remember my mom making pallets on the floor of the living room when my younger sister was a baby so she could wiggle around. Well, welcome to the 21st century. The Floor Nanny Floor Nanny is like the “pallets” of yesterday, but it has a great, sewn-in cushion all the way around to keep Baby from rolling out of his play space. Also, great for getting in some much-needed tummy time.

Like any gal, I love shoes and make those in “kid” size and well, I’m in shopper’s heaven. Two of the cutest collections I’ve seen are the design-your-own Preschoolians (I custom-ordered some Dallas Cowboy inspired kicks, per Daddy’s request, for next football season) and the rain boot selection from Vincent Shoes Vincent Shoes. Though Peanut will be wearing his Preschoolians way before his Vincent’s (preschoolians start at tike size and Vincent’s at toddler), I love knowing I have great foot gear waiting for my little guy.

See some other great baby items I should check out? Shoot me an e-mail at senior.editor@dallaschild.com.

Happy hunting!

-Tessa

Another Mommy-2-Be Moment

I’m quickly learning that as my pregnancy progresses, so do my paranoid tendencies. I had another “peanut” scare this week that quickly found me in the waiting room, the examination room and the sonogram room of my doctor’s office. Just before I left for my appointment, I checked my e-mail and found this message waiting for me from my mom, soon-to-be “Mimi”:

“I prayed in my grandbaby room for health, safety and peace last night. I talked to “Peanut” like he was already in the baby bed. After that I felt at peace — walk on faith baby, walk on faith.”

After reading her encouraging words, I knew in my heart that everything was going to be OK.

And it was.

~Tessa

Know Sudden Movements

It happened. It finally happened. After all of the years (and tears) of trying to conceive, after all of the months of waiting during pregnancy, after all of the “I’m never going to feel it” moments, it just happened — literally.

I was sitting at my desk this morning, editing the events calendar for the February issue and I felt the strangest sensation shoot across my still yet-to-bulge belly. And then it happened again. And again. It wasn’t quite like the butterflies I was expecting, nor was it the knock you off your seat punch to the rib. It was just this kind of soft “pow, pow, pow” rumble, followed by another “pow.”

Peanut moved!

And my heart stood still.

much love~
tessa

My Hubby is “Pregnant,” Too

OK, so my hubby, Chris, is no medical marvel, a la Arnold Schwarzenegger in Junior, but I think he’s getting pretty close. Since the day I said the words “You’re going to be a daddy!,” Chris has been experiencing sympathetic pregnancy — and it’s cracking me up!

For those who don’t know, my hubby is a stocky, goatee-sporting bald man who passes more for a bouncer at the neighborhood bar, rather than a dutiful shopper at Babies “R” Us. And though I’d heard about this phenomenon where daddies-in-development start “feeling” preggars, I never in my wildest dreams thought Chris would be one of them.

But he is.

In fact, he just called (like he has nearly every day the past few weeks) and asked, “Hey, are you tired?” As usual, I said “Absolutely,” and he replied, “Me, too.” We’re on the same wavelength when it comes to all things related to this pregnancy: headaches, exhaustion (if you called either of us around 8:30 on any given night lately, there’s a good chance we’re both already sawing logs), mood swings and hunger pangs. The only thing he hasn’t developed is my strong aversion to seafood — yet.

I tease him mercilessly when he starts getting mopey and whiney (meaning, he sounds and acts just like me), but honestly, the fact that he is so in tune with me and the baby, just makes my heart swell (then makes me cry with laughter, what can I say — mood swings).

Here’s hoping my intuitive “prego” partner continues to share so fully in this experience — but hands off the stretchy panel pants, mister, those are all mine!

much love~
tessa

What’s In the (Cocktail) Sauce?

It’s been two weeks since I last blogged – I know, what a slacker. But my lack of online input has simply been because I didn’t know how to follow-up on my last entry, “Boy or Girl?” Here’s my quandary, do I spill the beans on baby’s gender (yes, the hubby, Chris, and I now know) or do I keep it secret a little while longer? I decided to go with the latter … for now. =)

But here’s what happened on Halloween.

The representatives from IntelliGender (Rebecca and Teresa couldn’t be sweeter, by the way) stopped by the office to pick up “my sample.” I’d told them I didn’t have any “official” collection cups and asked what I should use. Rebecca said she’d received samples in everything, even a Starbuck’s cup. So the night before I pillaged the kitchen, looking for something suitable. Behold the abandoned shrimp-cocktail jar in the back of the fridge — perfect! It had a tight, no-spill lid and wasn’t gynormous like the pickle jar I’d contemplated only moments before.

I scrubbed the label off the jar, rinsed out all remnants of seafoodiness and gave it a run in the dishwasher. The next morning, thinking I’d been smart by finding such a user (and tester) friendly collection “cup,” I presented Rebecca and Teresa with my sample. “Wow, this is certainly a first,” they laughed upon seeing the jar lid, which read Golden Dipt Cocktail Sauce. My face turned crimson, much like the cocktail condiment I’d rinsed away the night before. “Hey, at least it has a lid,” I joked, knowing it would be a long ride back to the testing area without one.

By 3:30 that afternoon, the “sauce” had spoken.

much love~
tessa

p.s. A big thanks to all of you who e-mailed and weighed in on “peanut’s” gender. I loved reading your responses.