That Richardson family...: Goodies we want

In an effort to quiet the masses that want to know what we want for our little one, here is a detailed, and hopefully, fun-reading list of items that we'd like!

The coolest diaper bag ever: We like being able to re-purpose items once their original use is over and done with. We also like to buy things that can survive a beating and keep on going. In our quest to find a diaper bag that can fit a ton of stuff as well as be multipurpose, durable, and most importantly, cool enough for Otis to wear, we found a spiftacular bag from a local company called Tactical Tailor, purveyors of mega-cool stuff for military people. Designed to stand up to the rigors of combat, we're pretty sure that this diaper bag will withstand all the joys of suburban hell.

Hi-Vis Emergency Range Bag by Tactical Tailor - $23.16 - DIBS!

Jeeps may be cool, but not for strollers: There is something a little wrong with a stroller that's as large as an ATV and that's made for off-roading. Who are we kidding? The most exotic possibly off-road location parents are likely take their kids is probably the petting zoo or the pumpkin farm, not the Appalachian Trail or Macchu Pichu. In that spirit, less is better: we don't want to spend all day cramming something the size of a SmartCar into the back of our Honda. This is where the inexpensive, simple, yet features packed umbrella stroller comes to the rescue.

Baby Trends Trendlite Stroller at K-Mart - $19.99 -OR- Look for a good used umbrella stroller! - DIBS!
How not to have your stroller get more frequent flyer miles than you: Ah yes. Home is where Uncle Sam sends you. Right now, Sam says we're pretty far away from our family so the odds of us having to fly at some point with our kid are pretty good. And to make sure our stroller meets us when our plane lands, gate checks will be our friend.

Gate Check Umbrella Stroller Bag at Target - $12.99 - OR - Make a cooler one yourself! - DIBS!
Tit's OK, have a bottle: While we are hoping to breastfeed, there are going to be times when the Kelly's Snack Shack might be closed. In doing our research on which bottles are better for breastfeeding babies, we decided on two kinds: one that can be prepared singlehanded with kid in arm (Adiri - top bottle) and one that works for suckers of all stages (Second Nature - bottom bottle). The Adiri bottles have different flow rates, and savvy shoppers can be pick them up in a 3-pack with all of the flow rates. The Second Nature bottles have nipples that can be used throughout the nursing stages, so they need to be replaced more frequently - so like in Playboy, the more nipples we can get, the better. (Please note, as we are trying to breastfeed, these items are DIBS-able in the quantities listed.)

Adiri 3-pack - Click to find a store near you or purchase online at Amazon.com - DIBS x 2

Second Nature 3-pack Bottles and replacement Nipples - purchasing information available shortly - server is down. DIBS - Bottles x 2, Nipples x 4
And don't forget to clean the corners: Nothing's worse than tasting something the second time around, whether it's puke or something left on your cereal bowl by the dishwasher. We're going to guess our kid is going to agree with us on this point. To our rescue comes the handy-dandy bottle brush with nifty nipple cleaning attachment. After all, who wouldn't want clean nipples?

Bottle brush - available wherever baby stuff is sold! - DIBS! - Cuz we only need one.
Belly up to the booby bar: Positions: from "moving furniture" to tactical advantage on the battlefield as well as in the new territory of breastfeeding, it has come to our attention that getting the right position from the start helps in avoiding pitfalls. From what nursing moms have told Kelly, a nursing pillow can be a big help in getting kiddo a good seat at Hooter's. The niftiest pillow we have seen is a smooshable pillow made out of buckwheat hulls (sort of like a baby Sobakowa pillow) that went for an astronomical amount. The cheap goddess in Kelly had a heartattack and offered up this suggestion instead: How about a pair of buckwheat pillows and some flannel pillowcases to go with?

Buckwheat pillow and pillowcase - Sources coming soon for pillow - or check out Amazon! Flannel pillow cases available all over - OR - make your own! DIBS - Pillow x 2. We can always use more pillow cases.
It's dirty work, but someone else is going to do it: As part of our commitment to cutting down on the amount of bundles of trash our bundle of joy will produce, we are planning on going with cloth diapers from Sound Diaper Service. Not only is it cheaper than disposables, it's better for the environment: for $69.00 a month, someone else does the dirty work, washing in bulk is better for the environment, and we keep plastic wrapped poo sacks out of the landfill.

Sound Diaper Service Gift Certificates - all denominations welcome!
How not to get a bum (w)rap: Cloth diapers do tend to get the bum rap when it comes to leaking. Enter Bummis Wraps - today's answer to yesterday's rubber pants. Bummis are cloth diaper covers that make using cloth diapers much easier while providing a solution to puddles of baby byproducts all over. While it would be fun to dress our child like an inmate at Western State, we're opting for a nicer version of leaving the world a drier place!

Bummis wraps - Newborn to Medium size - Click here to find a store near you - OR - Get them used! DIBS - 7 per size
Always have back-up plan: The military has shown us how important it is to have an alternate exit strategy. As in combat, so in poo disposal. Keeping in mind that our first choice is cloth for our little one's exit strategy, we are also asking for a package or two of eco-friendly disposable diapers while we are getting settled in and waiting for our diaper service to start up. While they aren't biodegradable, Seventh Gen diapers are fragrance free and might come in handle to clear up a nasty bout of bum rash.

Seventh Generation Diapers - All sizes - Click to find a store near you or purchase online from Sound Diaper Service for $14.09
The Swiss Army Knife of Soaps: You have to admire a soap that says that it has at least 18 different uses with only 8 ingredients. Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps in Baby Mild have been cleaning both hippies and urban hipsters alike for more than fifty years. Made out of organic, fragrance free, biodegradable ingredients, it's simplicity in a bottle. A squirt for the bath, another for reusable wipes, some for mom's hands, and let's not forget the copious reading material on the package! It's truly magic!

Dr. Bronner's Baby Mild Liquid Soap in all sizes - available online in many places or at your local health food store or head shop
How not to get bummed out on bum rash: You've got to admit, Burt and his bees are pretty spiffy. Not only do they make kick-ass chapstick, but Burt's Bees makes some great stuff for moms, dads and babies. A friend recommended this diaper ointment to Kelly after her girls had problems with the occasional bout of bum rash. Not only does it smell nice, but it gets the job done with 100% natural ingredients. The diaper ointment can be purchased separately, or is part of Baby Bee Getting Started gift set or the Baby Bee to Go gift set.

Baby Bee Diaper Ointment from Burt's Bees - Click to find a store near you or purchase online!
And don't forget to WIPE! To go along with avoidance of plastic poo sacks, we're also wanting to avoid the highly fragranced, non-recyclable wipes. To that end, (or at least, for somebody's end) we'd like to use reusable cloth wipes. The nifty thing about these are that you can make them yourself if you're handy with a sewing maching or serger. And it's cheaper! Considering a yard of 60" wide cotton velour or terry cloth will yield about 28 - 8" square wipe, for about $20 and your time, it's a great deal.

(No, Jimmy John's doesn't make cloth wipes. But they do make great sandwiches for hungry parents and have gift certificates available.)
Same shirt, different day: Remember how we said we were totally up for irreverent baby clothing? We'd be doing you fine readers a disservice if we didn't give you a source for our source of naughty baby attire. Be forewarned: T-Shirt Hell is not for the easily offended - and guaranteed, there's something to offend just about EVERYONE. Take heart - snarky baby gear can be had just about everywhere these days from Target to Walmart to your very own Sharpie and pack of onesies. Here's one of our favorites:

Snarky T-shirts - Baby Hell - $13.70 - OR - Make a cooler shirt yourself! (Kel can't be the only snarky creative person out there)