Category Archives: Life

How I Plan on Wearing My Baby in the Heat

04/28/2014 R.C. Liley 2 Comments

Do you live where there’s hardly a transition from Winter to Summer? Sure, there’s the season we call Spring, but here in Texas, it seems likes it’s either cold and miserable or just plain hot.

Yes, I’m exaggerating a little, there are some nice days, but Texas heat turns on rather quickly around here. It doesn’t help when humidity is thrown into the mix; ugh.

But I am a lover of the heat and will take drenching my clothes in sweat over shivering in layers of clothes any day. Go for a run early in the morning? Not me, I prefer early afternoon with the sun beaming down on me.

I know my performance would be better in cooler weather, but I love the drained feeling after a hot workout. That said, I need to be more mindful now that I have a baby to bring along wherever I go.

Lately, I have been running with Avery in our B.O.B. stroller and using a weather shield because I thought she’d get too much dirt blown in her face. Well, Going Mom set me straight and told me how you shouldn’t use the weather shield in great than 65 degree weather; it’s only for precipitation anyway.

Admitting mistakes is not my strong point, but I’m admitting it now, I’m a doofus for subjecting our beautiful girl to the shield. Next run, I’m make sure it’s open to the fresh air! Sorry, Avery, and thank you, Kelley, for showing me the light!

Good job, Daddy, way to admit your stupidity! I love you!

Since I’ll also be wearing Avery when we are outside, I need to have a plan to keep her cool and comfortable. Thankfully, Onya Baby has a very simple solution to keep your baby cool when wearing them in hot weather.

All you need is a baby carrier with front pockets (such as, say….the Onya Outback!) and a freezer/ice pack. I’m sure you know what’s next, just put the ice pack in the front pocket of your carrier and now you’ll have a one cool baby!

I did this when wearing Avery in the Onya while reel mowing with our Fiskars mower on a hot day and she kept cool and calm the whole time. Actually, she took a nap like she has before!

So, it’s that easy, use one or two cold packs when wearing your baby under the scorching sun and keep them safe! Onya Baby wrote a post on their blog about using the ice pack and included these additional tips:

– Dress yourself and your baby in loose, lightweight, natural fiber clothing
– Carry an umbrella to provide portable shade for both yourself and your baby

– Place a lightweight cloth or flat diaper between yourself and your baby
– Remove your baby periodically from your carrier to allow both of you to cool off
– Check your baby often by touch and sight to be sure he’s not overheating.

Click here for Onya’s original post.

I’ve used an umbrella several times and it works great, but if it’s windy outside, it can be a hassle. That’s when I recommend and giant brimmed hat with a neck strap!

Overall, be mindful of the weather when bringing your baby outside. I admit to being slightly stubborn/ignorant of this and have my lovely wife to thank for snapping me out of it. Again, thank you, Kelley!

Do you have to deal with heat where you live?

Any tips of you own on keeping baby safe in the sun?

Life, Parenting

Beers with my Brother and Avery with Her Mother

04/25/2014 R.C. Liley 6 Comments

Hey, hey!

Friday has arrived and even as an at-home parent, I’m still excited for the weekend! With no travel plans, it means our little family trio can enjoy time together!

If the title scared you a little by making you think Going Mom and I are in a situation where we are sharing Avery, don’t worry, I just like to make rhymes. Really, I just went out to meet my little brother (Uncle Preston) for a couple of good beers while Kelley was home alone with Avery.

I made sure she was okay with this before making plans, and of course she was happy to set me free…..for a few hours at least. It helps that she’s going to be hanging out a with a group of other girls tonight and I will be the one home alone with Avery.

This could be scary having just me at home with our daughter……Oh wait, not much of a difference from every other day!

We both need our time out and thankfully we understand and work with each other on this. Great communication is key to a great relationship! Write it down, remember this, and never forget! I sometimes do forget and it gets me into trouble…..oops.

Preston and I went to a bar called The Flying Saucer which holds over 200 beers at one time. I’ve been a member, “beer knurd”, for 6 or 7 years now and once you reach 200 different beers, you get a saucer with your name and whatever quote you want on their wall.

After Wednesday night, I now have 53 beers. Yeah, I won’t have that saucer for a while, but I’m okay with that. I do love the occasional drink, but I hardly actually drink. When I do, I might split a good beer with Kelley or sip on bourbon, but that’s it.

Having not had dinner yet, I was feeling pretty good after two draft beers on Wednesday night, and then Preston and I shared a Belgium beer flight. I am confident in saying that Belgium and trappist style beers are my favorite!

Every Wednesday night, The Flying Saucer has a special brewery night where you can get the beer and the keep the glass. I used to do this every Wednesday when I worked late and have a nice collection. I even asked about the prior week’s glass and our nice waitress gave it to us. That glass was a “420” glass from Stone Brewing Co, and although I’m not into that kind of thing, it was still cool.

Here’s the 420 glass..

I hardly ever go out, and when I do, I will not eat at the places we go. I’m a picky person who has to know exactly how my food is prepared, so I tend to do it myself. That said, I can enjoy a few beers as long as it isn’t too expensive, and I had a great time just hanging with my brother.

We don’t get to see each other enough, so we were able to just talk about everything in our lives. For me, that’s Avery, but he had a lot of fun stories to share. Hopefully we’ll plan another outing in the near future and maybe I’ll make it to 55 beers!

It’s Preston’s 22nd birthday on May 1st, and I tried to get a free beer from the waitress; only problem was that I already paid. Dummy! Yeah, I don’t think things through sometimes, just ask my wife.

Oh well, like I said, it was a great time, and we were even treated to this as we were leaving….

The van had a handicap sticker, but hopefully this isn’t a seeing drive dog!

Meanwhile, Kelley had a pleasant evening with Avery and even took her for a short walk in the Onya Outback. Everything was peaceful with Avery sound asleep when I arrived home. I can only hope for the same when Kelley comes home tonight!

Do you have any plans for the weekend?

Ever enjoy the simple things like just have a beer or two with friends or family? I feel I don’t do this enough!

Baby Wearing, Life, Parenting

Why I Wear My Baby: A Dad’s Perspective

04/19/2014 R.C. Liley 10 Comments

Before Avery, my daughter, was born, I knew I wanted to wear her in a carrier. But, I was uninformed about the actual benefits of babywearing, I just thought it would be a cool way to get some extra exercise! Do you know anyone who tries to turn anything into some form of exercise? Well, meet one more….me!

With zero research, my wife and I bought a Baby Bjorn and thought we were all set. Once Avery was born, I was wearing her in the Bjorn at two weeks as we went on and did chores around the house.

Like most new parents these days, I proudly posted pictures of myself wearing Avery on Facebook and Twitter.

In one of my posts, I mentioned how I had sore shoulders after a long walk and another dad commented saying to ditch the Bjorn and get an Ergo. Then several other dads chimed in giving full support of getting a better carrier. Thus, my baby carrier research began.

For days, I read and re-read fact sheets on baby carriers and reviews by other parents. I was surprised at how detailed and passionate so many parents are about babywearing. I finally concluded that I had been doing it all wrong; letting my baby’s legs dangle and even having her face outward! According to the International Hip Dysplasia Institute, dangling legs put your baby at a high risk of developing hip dysplasia.

Needless to say, I had to find a high quality carrier that would allow both Avery and me to be safe and comfortable wherever our adventures take us. Trying to figure out which one would be best was difficult; you’d think I was buying a new car! Then, I came across a review on Onya Baby and was drawn to their carriers. I know the other dads mentioned Ergo, but I had to make sure I didn’t rush into things like I did with the Bjorn.

I e-mailed Onya about possibly allowing me the opportunity to try one of their carriers and write a review on my blog. I received an upbeat response from Diana, who, after we spoke on the phone, kindly agreed to send their Outback model. Oh my gosh, I felt like I was getting a new car! I have since posted my review on our Onya Baby Outback carrier and am happily using it almost every day.

I say almost because Ergobaby recently sent me the Ventus carrier from their performance line to review and I use that as well. So far, Going Mom and I both enjoy it and it’s a good option for store trips. Having use several carriers now, I realize that there are many great choices out there and the best choice will vary depending on each individuals’ preferences.

Through all of this, I learned a great deal on the benefits of babywearing for both parents and their babies. For instance, if your baby simply hates “tummy time”, babywearing is said to eliminate the need for this exercise. Avery was part of the “tummy time” hate club, but she eventually learned to roll over without much time spent on her stomach. Was it from being worn in a baby carrier? I’m not sure, but I bet it definitely had a big role in her success.

Babywearing offers a myriad of benefits over alternatives like strollers and car seats; here are several just to list a few:

It aids the baby in developing balance, motor skills, and mobility in general.
Babies who are worn are less likely to cry as much during the day and even at night!
Parents and their babies have a stronger bond when worn or carried and it will last all the way into adulthood.
Carried babies are happier and healthier.
Babies get a better view of the world around them when worn. Poor babies in strollers or car seats only know a world of knees and shins!
Babywearing parents also enjoy the freedom of both hands and to move around safely with baby happily close to you. Plus, my original reason for wanting to wear my baby, it really is great exercise!

I found these benefits of babywearing and much more on Boba’s website, Mark’s Daily Apple, and Onya’s blog. All sites are packed with useful information to answer all of your babywearing questions along with cites and sources to back it up.

The benefits listed above and on the websites add up to why I wear my baby, and can be explained in one word; love. Yes, I wear my baby because I love her more than I ever knew possible.

The feeling that overwhelmed me as I watched Avery come into the world for the first time was a feeling of unconditional love. I only felt it one other time as I watched Going Mom walk down the aisle in her wedding dress. The air escapes from my lungs and I feel my heart stop in awe as happiness flows through my body; that’s true love!

As a dad, I will never be able to duplicate what my wife shares maternally with Avery, so I count on babywearing to get as close as I can. I wear my baby to help her grow into a happy, strong, confident, and loving daughter.

I am proud to have her close to me as I shop at the store, go on long walks, mow the lawn, or just move around the house. Everything we do and see, I tell what’s going on and I know she’s absorbing all of it in her constantly growing brain.

So, when asked why I wear my baby, I could pull out a list and go over the slew of reasons, but I will just say it’s because I love her. And, according to The Beatles, “All You Need Is Love”! I’m a proud dad to the most adorable girl and happy husband to the most amazing wife, and love is what makes us a happy, healthy family. Okay, and good food and exercise!

I want to express my deep gratitude to Onya Baby for giving me the chance to see what a real baby carrier is like which has turned me into a major advocate for babywearing!

Are you a fellow babywearer?

If so, what are your reasons?

If not, would you like to?