BabyWearing

For the past few weeks I've been researching various ways to keep a baby happy without having to hold her in-arms all day.  My first-born loved the Baby Bjorn so naturally I assumed the next one would, too.  Those of you with multiple children are laughing right now, knowing how completely different two babies can be.  I discovered that babywearing is considered a given in most of the world and is, thankfully, gaining popularity in the US.  While Baby Bjorn makes truly wonderful, high-quality products, there's an entire world of other carriers out there.

Our second wants to be held absolutely always.  Like any parent, I can't spend all day holding the baby; I have way too much to do, yet my sweet baby screams and screams if put down for more than 5 minutes (severe reflux).  With my once-tiny baby already clocking in at 7 kilos / 15.4 pounds, my shoulders and back are always sore.

I've narrowed it down to a wrap AND a Mei Tai.  Paying US$45 to $180 for a simple piece of fabric (wrap) is too steep for me particularly since I already own natural fiber fabric and love being resourceful.  I found a wonderful thread on making DIY wraps (without dropping major dough) at The BabyWearer.  They discus which fabrics work well and which may cause binding or pinching; they also mention that you can even use a bedsheet.

Jokes paralleling real life

My best friend recalled today a famous musician's joke whose refrain pertains to so many things:
A man steps into a cab in New York City and asks the driver, "How do you get to Carnegie Hall?" The cabbie replies, "Practice, practice, pratice!"

Tomorrow, when I try to retell the joke, it'll probably come out something like this:
A man hails a cab in New York City and tells the driver, "To Carnegie Hall."  The cabbie replies, "Practice, practice, practice!"  As the passenger stares, the cabbie adds, "Hey man, did you know that Carnegie was related to Lizzie Borden? I heard it on TED."
(Here's the video:)