Shopping (and trying to function) while with my overactive kid Margarita Y. Locsin-Chan Philippine Daily Inquirer
October 20, 2009
LONDON—I bought a skip hop via backpack from Rustan’s when I was home last summer, and I now use that when we go shopping, as I can carry it and keep my arms free for my two-year-old son to hold while walking. It looked rather small when I first checked it out, but when I put everything inside, there was actually room to spare!
For daily use, I use a Babymel Amanda bag, which, like the Skip Hop, attaches to my pushchair. But it is a bit lighter than the Skip Hop (I prefer the buggy connectors on the Skip Hop, though) and doesn’t look like a typical diaper bag. The Amanda looks like a hobo bag and comes in a selection of feminine designs, as well as basic black. I’m not sure if Babymel is available in the Philippines, but you can find it online.
The Via’s trusty partner is our relatively new, but already well-worn, Combi pushchair, which is so lightweight and easy to fold that I am convinced, with its similarly designed Aprica, those are the two brands I will consider for my next child’s going-out pram. Hobbes and Landes carries the Combi, while Aprica has its own store in Greenbelt 5, and Rustan’s carries both.
My friend’s Stokke still continues to amaze me because as her daughter grows, this ergonomic pushchair has now become her dining chair. While my son squirms in public baby chairs, his playmate is seated up on her Stokke, eating comfortably as if in her own La-Z-Boy. The Bugaboo Chameleon does the same and is at a lower height, but doesn’t seem to have the same sofa feel (at least from my observation).
I’m particularly obsessed with finding the perfect pushchair because space is very important in a country where most cars are sedans with limited boot space (SUVs are mostly used in the countryside here). Hence, I have the big Hummer-like Quinny Buzz, that I previously wrote about, for daily use around my neighborhood, and the compact Combi one for everywhere else.
Learning to walk is one of the best things to happen to babies, but one of the worst for parents, especially for full-time moms without help. My son learned to walk later than his peers (you should have heard all the negative comparisons he got when we were home last), but he has caught up and boy, has he caught up!
The little prince now refuses to return to his pushchair once he’s been taken out, and when he sees other kids walking, he starts screaming to be let out. (And if you don’t, he’ll force himself to vomit or cry hysterically, causing his mom extreme embarrassment!) Since I have no choice but to let him out or I can’t get my daily food shopping done, I have the next best thing—Walking Wings! I got mine in Manila and they work great, plus, the padding helps keep him off the floor when he trips.
I got my Walking Wings at either Rustan’s or Baby & Co., which is where I got my Kiddopotamus Secure Strap. Like the Wings, the Secure Strap is a baby harness. The latter is more portable and can be rolled up and put in my changing bag—or even my handbag! We have two because one was a gift, but it’s helpful to have them because when one gets filthy (and it does), I have a spare while the other one dries.
Limited clothes
With an overactive baby, my washing machine is now running everyday, sometimes twice a day. Since I’m sticking to my resolution to not buy too many clothes, I have successfully limited my son’s clothing to a few pairs of jeans, about a dozen short and long-sleeved tees in basic colors, four jumpers (in colors that match the tees), one vest, and a lot (well, more than six) rompers (two-piece sets) from Brusselsprouts (check out their other clothes and accessories at http://brusselsprouts.multiply.com) and SM, which I use for play and sleep-time. I like rompers because they wash well and dry quickly.
My mom discovered Bicals, shoes that look like socks, when my son was a year old, and he loves them. They don’t make him feel clumsy and the traction is great, even on streets. They’re a bit pricey, but they are so worth it, being anti-bacterial and washable. They come in a lot of cute designs and make great gifts.
At this age, my son’s allergies have all been tested and we’ve discovered that he does have eczema, but only the weather-driven kind. His skin dries up when the season changes, so we have to act accordingly. Paraffin-based products have been particularly helpful in abating what quickly becomes a harrowing experience for my son, who wakes up scratching his skin to bleeding point!
I cut down on his baby wash, which is now diluted before use and used only when he is particularly dirty from walking outside or falling (or rolling!) on the mall floor. His main wash is now either E45 or Oilatum Junior, both of which are paraffin-based and made specifically for people with dry skin conditions. E45 also makes an anti-itch cream (for both adults and kids), which I apply to his most vulnerable areas.
In Manila, I use VMV Products. Their monolaurin-based Grandma Minnie’s baby line is just great. The wash and lotion are both anti-bacterial and very mild. I also love their Boo-Boo cream because to get anti-fungal, antibiotic creams here in the UK, I’d have to go to a GP—which is a huge hassle. I use Boo-Boo whenever my son gets rashes around his mouth and on little scrapes and cuts.
