Shop and Eat! Northbrook Court Mall

After our first venture out of the house together I could not wait to go out again. However, B was born in December in Chicago, so wherever we go we need to be able to stay inside even if he has a major crying fit. I figured a shopping mall would be the perfect place--if he had a meltdown in one store I could just mosey on out, pop into a new place once he calmed down, and pretend I wasn't that mother.

Northbrook Court is the mall closest to our house, and though I've been there many times before I never realized just how baby-friendly it is.

First of all, there is a giant tree-shaped kiddie playground smack dab in the middle of the place. During the day this attracts a lot of kiddos and their moms or nannies. Spend a random afternoon in this place and you'll see a parade of the latest trendy kid and baby items on display. While I don't have anyone old enough to play on this tree yet, it's comforting to see a kid-friendly area in the middle of the mall.

Second, they actually have a nursing room. A NURSING ROOM! It's located in the second level bathroom near the dining area. It's a lovely, clean room with a locking door, a very comfortable glider, and a little table. These may exist in many places, but since I've only been nursing for ten weeks I've never noticed one before.

Third, there are several baby stores for you to wander around in with your little one. Gymboree, Janie and Jack, Hanna Anderson, and Gap Kids, to name a few.

Finally, there's a Gymboree Play and Music space, too, so you can actually take classes there with your little one.

But really, need I say more than nursing room? I mean, jackpot.

Also, Northbrook Court has several restaurants, so this has been my go-to place for lunch and dinner plans so far. I love that we can sit down in an actual restaurant for a meal, and I don't have to panic if B starts screaming. I can simply walk out and wander around the mall until he settles down. Perfection.

WearYOBaby: Chimparoo Woven Wrap

Okay, I'm just going to say it: If you have a baby and you aren't babywearing, you are missing out.

I loved wearing my son in my Moby wrap so much that I decided it was time to buy a woven wrap. I chose a Chimparoo woven, and it is hands-down my favorite new item I've bought since B was born.

The Good
The Chimparoo is a thick, beautiful woven wrap that can be tied in so many different ways. It is so versatile and so pretty that this will quickly become a wrap you reach for often. Because it is a woven wrap you can comfortably wear a heavier little one it, the Chimparoo company says up to 35 pounds. The wrap comes with a 75-minute DVD that very clearly shows you how to tie every carry, including special instructions for carrying newborns and for nursing in every carry.

I wore this wrap the day I bought it, and have reached for it every single day since. My favorite carry is the front wrap cross carry because I can tie it before we leave the house and slip B into it from his car seat when we reach our destination. It's also easy to pop him in and out of this carry.

I've gotten more attention wearing B in the Chimparoo than I have in my Moby and Lucky Baby wrap, probably because the Chimparoo really is a stunning wrap.

The Bad
The only negative I can think of for this is that it costs around $100, but here's the thing: $100 is affordable as far as woven wraps are concerned. So really, this is just another positive detail. It is a heavier wrap, so it's probably going to be too warm to wear in a hot Chicago summer--that's as close to a negative as I'm going to be able to get for this wrap!

Conclusions
The Chimparoo is an awesome woven wrap. You really cannot go wrong with this one. If you live in an extremely hot climate then it may not be for you, but otherwise the Chimparoo is a great woven wrap for any mama who wants to get out of the house with her baby!

WearYOBaby: Lucky Baby Wrap Review

I've already shared my love of babywearing, and how it's a wonderful way for mamas to get out of the house. Like any new enthusiastic convert, I've already purchased and used a couple of different wraps and carriers as a happy new babywearer.

I saw this Lucky Baby wrap on sale on Zulily and figured I might as well add another stretchy wrap to my stash. The Lucky Baby wrap has a decorated fabric panel in the middle of two long stretchy tails. Unlike the Moby, the Lucky Baby wrap tapers out towards the ends, and has much less fabric overall. I figured at the very least this wrap would be much prettier than my Moby, so I'd probably reach for it more.

The Good
The Lucky Baby wrap is pretty, and easier to tie than the Moby because there's much less fabric. It's also easier to throw in a bag and bring along with you because of it's smaller size. It is nicely constructed and easy to care for since it's machine washable.

The Bad
The Lucky Baby wrap is very stretchy, and it does not bounce back very much so it's prone to stretching out quickly while you wear it. This means you have to tie it on very tightly if you want to keep baby in a good position for more than a half hour or so. This also means it is not a good wrap for heavier babies. My son is just over 13 lbs at 8 weeks old, and I feel like this wrap is already too stretchy to wear him in for any length of time. While it is nicely constructed, the wrap does look handmade, especially on the center panel where the cut edge of the fabric is visible on the inside of the wrap.

Conclusions
The Lucky Baby wrap is a great starter wrap for new babywearers with newborns. It's easier to tie than other stretchy wraps, and this alone might be what a newbie needs to gain confidence babywearing before moving on to other wraps. The Lucky Baby wrap is not a good option for larger babies or even extended wear with newborns because it is far too stretchy and doesn't bounce back nearly as well as other stretchy wraps on the market.

Bottom line: If you have the extra cash to buy a starter wrap that you probably won't use very much, and you're intimidated by long panels of fabric on other stretchy wraps, go for it. Otherwise, you're better off starting out with a heftier stretchy wrap, or better yet, skip the stretchies and go straight for a woven.