All posts by R.C. Liley

I'm an ex-mutual fund accountant who left the cubicle world to be a stay-at-home dad to my beautiful little girl, Avery, who entered our life on 11/15/13. Also happily married to my wife, Kelley, for 7 years as of 8/17/14. Sorry ladies... :) Fitness and nutrition is of the upmost importance in our family and we strive to reflect this in our daily life. I always prepare our meals at home and only go out if it's a special occasion, and even then I tend to not get much. Food should be fun and a joy to eat, not something quickly consumed from a fast food chain or scarf down before the next meeting. I have come from strictly logging high miles to train for the next marathon to keeping exercise varied and focusing more on strength. I still enjoy going for a run when I can, but nothing crazy, and I prefer hill sprints while pushing my daughter, Avery in the stroller. She loves it and I get a great workout! I want to show the world how to appreciate their body and feed it real, wholesome food while moving more throughout the day. In doing so, everyone would be healthier, happier, and we'd all live in a better place as a result. I blog mainly about my life as a stay-at-home dad and frequently include reviews, participate in campaigns, and share my thoughts on fitness and nutrition. If you ever have any questions or thoughts to share, please reach out as I'm always open to listening or helping others however possible. That is, when I have free time since Avery is and my wife are the number one priorities!

Our First Day Out in the Onya Outback

As I proclaimed yesterday, I was anxious to get out and give our new Onya Baby Outback carrier a try. What better way to break it in than by going grocery shopping?

I have about 4 or 5 different stores I’ll go to for various food items depending on what we need. The most frequent stores I visit are Costco and Sprouts. I used to go to Central Market (owned by H-E-B) but haven’t made it there as much. Hopefully soon because I love that place! Anyway, today we went to 3 stores; Sprouts, Kroger, and Costco, in that order.

Getting Avery in the Outback from her car seat was not as easy as the Baby Bjorn, but it wasn’t difficult either. Plus, the pros far outweigh the cons as far as comfort and security go.

Heading into the first store!
Heading into the first store!

Avery is still unsure of her new carrier and let me know it by squirming and giving tiny whimpers every now and then. The Outback is made more for babies a little older than Avery, so she has some growing to do. The Baby Booster that Diana sent along with the carrier does help and Avery was better when I had her in it yesterday, but I didn’t take it along for the store trips.

My poker face
My poker face

As you can see, Avery can’t see when in the Outback at her size. This didn’t give her any head room and it was basically stuck in one spot. Eventually, she’ll grow and her head will be poking out like in the photos from Onya’s website.

Ha ha, I had to go pee while there, and as I stood at the urinal, I looked down at Avery and said “It will be better when you’re bigger.” I paused, looked around and luckily no one else was in there, and then I laughed at myself. Oops!

With the Baby Booster, Avery would ideally have her head up higher so she can see out and ultimately be happy. She still fell asleep after a while, but I know it really will be better when she’s bigger.

Almost an hour in Sprouts and now it was time for Kroger. This is where I buy a lot of frozen veggies since they have great prices. It only took 30 minutes here and would’ve been faster if I didn’t have to wait for an old lady return two kinds of lip gloss. Ugh.

Avery didn’t whine too much at Kroger, but I could tell she was getting antsy about something. Then she dug her face into my chest and started eating my shirt. Ahhh, she’s hungry!

Once we arrived at Costco, I offered her the bottle before we went inside and she eagerly accepted.

Really? Pictures even when I'm eating?
Really? Pictures even when I’m eating?

30 minutes later and we were off for the last shopping trip. More fussing ensued followed by falling asleep as I was ready to check out.

Back at home I unloaded the groceries as Avery sat in her swing watching me. I knew she was tired, but it was too late to deal with swaddling her and getting her to sleep, so I did the next best thing…..go for a run.

Strapped in the B.O.B. stroller, we went for a quick 4.5 miles with Abby (our Golden) and Avery got a little nap as a result. Phew, something is better than nothing!

Once Kelley made it home, I strapped Avery in the Onya Outback for the fourth time and we went for a short walk. The weather was beautiful with only a minor chill in the air, and I enjoyed being with my two ladies while taking it all in.

As things were winding down and Avery was about ready for bed, we tried to get her to roll over as she has been the past couple days. But, no, she was exhausted. She would have bouts of crying and then just suck on her hand. Poor girl, we’ll try again tomorrow. Oh yeah, she’s getting shots!

Put me to bed!!!
Put me to bed!!!

Today’s Onya Outback total usage time = 3.5 hours

Notes: Avery definitely has some growing to do before getting really comfortable in the Outback, but the Baby Booster helps a lot. For me, I am way more comfortable wearing the Onya than wearing the Baby Bjorn. No growing tension on my shoulders and Avery doesn’t flop around every time I twist, turn, or bend down. Tomorrow I plan on taking her for an hour long walk and hope to have a good report afterward.

It’s Here! The Onya Baby Outback Carrier!

Christmas in Jul....March!
Christmas in Jul….March!

Baby wearing is a daily occurrence for Avery and me, and I don’t know how I’d be “Going” anywhere but crazy without it. Since Avery was 2 weeks old, I’ve only used the Baby Bjorn carrier to wear her everywhere. Long walks, store trips, and chores around the house have all been in the Baby Bjorn…..until now!

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The very kind Diana from Onya Baby agreed to send us their Onya Baby Outback carrier to use and review on this blog! I first gave news that we’d be getting this carrier for active parents in this post. The Outback was provided to me free of charge, but all thoughts and opinions will be completely my own.

I can’t explain how excited I was when I first spoke with Diana and she agreed to send one. Now that we have the Outback, I’m anxious to go everywhere with Avery while wearing our new “ride”!

I wanted to capture the "Active Parents" part.
I wanted to capture the “Active Parents” part.

Here is a description and list of features on the Outback directly from Onya Baby:

Whether you’re out with your child wandering the urban jungle or hiking with them in the hills, the Onya Baby Outback offers a new approach to the soft-structured carrier. A durable, water-resistant, rip-stop nylon exterior and air-mesh lining makes it perfect for hot weather or hiking the trails. Parent and child will stay cooler with the air-mesh lining, which wicks away moisture leaving you both comfortable. It can be worn as a front-pack or backpack, and comes with an integrated seat that will fit almost any chair – for when you’ve decided to take a break for lunch and the restaurant doesn’t have a seat for your little one.

• Rip-stop nylon body and air mesh lining
• Patent-pending integrated chair harness with safety strap
• Tuck-away sleeping hood
• Low-profile shoulder straps
• Contoured low-profile, supportive waist belt
• Sternum strap for adjustable comfort
• Double-entry, side-zippered koala pouch and patch pocket
• Seat darts for child’s comfort
• Leg padding for baby
• Toy loop on each shoulder strap
• D-ring for attaching key clip (key clip not included)
• Safety-tested to 75 pounds
• Machine washable
• Instruction manual

Since she’s still pretty young, Avery has a bit of growing to do before it has a better fit. But until then, Diana generously provided a “Baby Booster” for smaller babies. I already tried Avery both with and without the booster and can tell it helps to have it in right now. Avery appreciates the extra boost too!

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Although a review is the main thing I will write after using the Onya Outback for a while, I will be posting frequent updates along the way. Since part of our daily routine is going for long walks, I plan on providing daily or weekly time/miles spent in the Onya Outback along with any notes.

Hello, World!
Hello, World!

Also, be on the lookout for posts about exercise routines using the Onya and possibly doing different types of home maintenance inside and out. What I am really looking forward to is taking Avery on a nice trail hike. The Onya Outback is made for hot weather and hiking and I’ll be sure to make use of its features often!

Today, after putting Avery in the Outback for the first time, she was a little fussy, but eventually calmed down. She calmed down so much, she fell asleep for 40 minutes! When Kelley got home, we took it for a test run walk for about a mile and so far I’m impressed! The initial setup was a little difficult, but it’s easy to get used to quickly.

After our walk
After our walk

I’m saying goodbye to the annoying weight the Baby Bjorn put on my shoulders and hello to the comfort of the Onya! Make sure to check back frequently for current updates on where I’ve gone with Avery in the Onya and my thoughts.

I want to thank Diana and everyone at Onya Baby for being so gracious and giving me this opportunity to review their premium baby carrier!

Are you a fan of baby wearing?

What’s your favorite carrier and what do you look for in one?

Weekend Recap: Breaking Bad, She Rolled Over, 4 Month Shots Delayed, and Teething

Hey there! Wonder why I’m posting a weekend recap on Tuesday? Well, because Kelley took off Monday to spend time with Avery and me and to go with us to her 4 month wellness check. So it was just a three day weekend for us. Even as a stay-at-home parent, I still love these!

Avery and Mommy with our fat cat photo bombing
Avery and Mommy with our fat cat photo bombing

After getting Avery to sleep on Friday night, we kicked off the weekend by watching 3 of the 6 episodes of “Breaking Bad” we had left. Geez, it was hard to not keep going, but hey, we’re responsible parents and knew we should rest instead.

Speaking of responsible, we finished the last of the episodes while having Avery with us during the day on Saturday. That’s not wrong, right? She was very demanding of attention, but luckily she accepted being pushed in front of the T.V. and playing peek-a-boo with daddy. And wow, what a great ending for “Breaking Bad!”

Crying or laughing? Couldn't figure it out....
Crying or laughing? Couldn’t figure it out….

We also made Avery suffer through watching Mom and Dad do a workout video together just like last weekend.

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On the food front, I was able to roast a big batch of Brussels sprouts and garlic. I added nothing, just put them on a baking sheet and popped them in the oven at 365 degrees for 50 minutes. I love these things!

I could eat these like popcorn!
I could eat these like popcorn!

Then I cooked several servings of egg whites and turkey patties to last me through most of the week. I didn’t add anything to them while cooking, but always go herb and spice overboard when preparing a meal with them. Tip: adding salsa and/or brown mustard is a great way to quickly add nutritious flavor that won’t weigh you down.  Also, try using salsa as salad dressing instead of those rich, creamy dressings loaded with oil.

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On Sunday our little girl had one of many “firsts” by rolling over during Tummy Time! Being the new parents that we are, we acted as if she just busted out break dancing! That’s a fun visual……

What?
What?

Anyway, apparently Avery already talked about her first rolling over experience, so this may be nothing new to you. This whole weekend she’s really increased verbally too, and is making the cutest gurgle-like coos ever. Man we love our daughter!

Monday meant it was time for Avery’s 4 month wellness check, so we headed off to the doctor’s office. Once there, they couldn’t find us scheduled and it turned out that when Kelley made the appointment back in early February, they accidently entered February 17th instead of March 17th. Oops! So Avery got to skip her shots…..for a few days. We rescheduled for this Thursday which ended up being better since our doctor will be back in town anyway.

Kelley was a little bummed since she can’t take off again, but since we are doing the revised vaccination schedule as recommended by Dr. Sears, she’ll have more chances to join us!

The revised vaccination schedule just spreads the vaccines out so your baby isn’t overwhelmed with so many chemicals in the body at once. The end result is the same, just more doctor visits to get there. Considering my stay-at-home status, this won’t be an issue and we hope Avery benefits from our decision.

Starting just this weekend, Avery has been having completely random bouts of screaming and crying for quite a while and then she’ll go back to smiling eventually. We get she’s a baby and will do completely random things, but that’s just, well……random.

During one of her screaming spells, I sat there holding her while looking in her mouth and I’m pretty sure I see two little teeth working their way out on the top and one on the bottom. She’s been chewing, drooling, and coughing for a few weeks now, but with teeth poking through her gums, she is not happy!

Chewing on her carrier
Chewing on her carrier

We’ve been keeping her Baltic Amber necklace on all the time now, and I am hopeful it’s keeping her from being in even more pain. I’ll keep a close eye on those teeth and update you soon!

We ended our Sunday with another round of Tummy Time. This time, she had her cloth diaper on which made it more challenging, but after a struggle, she made the roll! Then we put her back on her stomach for another try and this really ticked her off, but she did it once more!

Job well done!
Job well done!
So close!
So close!

We are so proud of Avery and I enjoyed this long weekend with my girls. Now we only have 4 days until Kelley can join us once more! Plus we have some fun things to try with Avery that I’ll let you know about soon!

Are you a “Breaking Bad” fan?

Have you heard of/followed the Alternative Vaccine Schedule?