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I wish I could say that I didn't have mommy brain, and that I always remember everything I need to do, and therefore I didn't have to go to the mall 4 days before Christmas. Unfortunately my brain is mush and I forget everything. I forgot to pick up Tierney's Christmas photos at the mall two weeks ago when they were ready, and of course I want to give them out on Christmas, so I had to go to the mall during the first snow storm of the year on the Friday before Christmas. 

I knew I would be waiting at the portrait studio for an eternity, thanks to today being the first day of Christmas break for the schools in my area, so I decided to bring my wrap with me. I got Tierney out of the car in the blizzard and wrapped her in this made up hip carry I learned from Rene that I don't know the name of (maybe one of you out there can enlighten us!). It's very comfortable for long periods of time, but is also super easy to prep at home and pop baby in at your destination.

Once I entered the mall, I was bombarded by mothers yelling at toddlers to hold hands so they wouldn't get lost, giant strollers banging into fixtures and almost running people over, and mothers of small babies just holding them in their arms as they made their way through the overcrowded mall with all their various bags and packages. 

I wanted to stand on a bench and just yell, "It doesn't have to be so difficult to go to the mall with your baby!!!!" but it was so loud, nobody would have heard me anyway.  I did get a few wistful looks from disgruntled mothers wrangling their newly walking little ones, and parents trying to squeeze their huge travel system strollers through narrow and blocked aisles.  



I honestly don't know how I would do it every day without my wraps and carriers. Today I definitely became aware of just how life-changing babywearing can be for a parent. I made an excellent decision a year ago, while Tierney was still in my belly, and I will never look back!

 
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Natibaby Fucshia Mea looking good enough to eat! Note: the color in this picture is MOST accurate and true-to-life.
Natibaby Wool Mea Fuschia is a beautiful wrap. It is 63% cotton and 37% merino wool. The intricate lace-like pattern runs on the bias of the wrap as opposed to horizontally or vertically. I think this gives the wrap a uniqueness and a whisper feminine, dare I say, perhaps even dainty?
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Mea marks a departure for me, as it was the first pink or purple wrap that I purchased. The color was rish and dark enough for me to feel that Beau could "rock pink". Frankly, I don't know what took me so long; boy or girl, one can wear ANY color and pattern wrap with ANY baby; boy or girl. Getting a little side-tracked here but, wear what you love!

This picture at left displays the four stages of how we do nap time at our house! Are you are curious about the seemingly impossible feat of getting baby to his crib from my back without waking? Watch this video to find out, just note that this video was filmed with my iPhone tucked into the changing table; nothing fancy!  http://youtu.be/04IC2dOdaBs

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This wrap is a dream to wrap with! Super soft, medium thin, cushy on the shoulders, and uber floppy! Oh did I mention supportive?? This particular Natibaby wrap is wider than my other Natibaby wraps. I haven't measured yet, but it's on my to-do list, promise.

I have to say one very important thing about this wrap: PLEASE DO NOT BE AFRAID OF THE WOOL! The merino wool used in this wrap must have been spun by angels or something because it is so soft and not scratchy or itchy in the least. Please trust me when I tell you that it is unlike most anything made from wool you have experienced thus far.

Another common misconception about wool blend wraps is that they are thick and hot. Au contraire mon ami (my parents are French Canadian, and my siblings and I grew up bilingual, so excuse me if I spout off in French randomly)! As I mentioned before, this wrap is quite thin, airy, breathable and would be perfect all seasons of the year. I have worn this wrap in about 78 degree humid weather and felt completely cool.

This is a very forgiving wrap; let me explain, even if you don't get a "perfect" wrap job with Mea, you will not pay for it with pain from pressure points in your shoulders. Somehow, the wraps magical powers perfectly distribute the weight every time, even if my wrap job is far from perfect.

Another feature of this wrap that I find hard to quantify is the fact that I love how it tightens. When I am tightening my fabric passes; whether strand by strand or the classic "L pull" often done with a double hammock carry; everything tightens up and glides into place so easily. But I think the wool content combined with the slight texture of the pattern ensure that Mea is not "slippery" which can be troublesome for a new wrapper and lead to carries drooping.

In closing, I'm sure you've guessed my verdict, Mea is beautiful and useful, a definite keeper!


~Nancy

 
Ellevill is a Norwegian wrap company. Their wraps are designed in Norway and woven in India. Some of their old wraps were hand-woven, but most today are machine woven. Ellevill is known for having simple wraps, concentrating on the pattern and design of the weave itself as opposed to various shapes, motifs or animals. 

Jade is a classic pattern inspired by old Norwegian knitting patterns. This is a jacquard weave woven in fiery red and almost reddish-orange threads. They come together to form a gorgeous, deep, yummy  lipstick red! The wrap is 50% cotton and 50% linen. The linen adds support to the wrap.

Another thing to note about Elevill wraps are their very long and narrow tapers. I personally love them, as they form a tiny little knot, but others may not like this feature. Just something to keep in mind when shopping for a wrap.

Chili had been another long time ISO of mine, and after having recently donated my Natibaby Red Greece wrap to our local babywearing group's lending library, I was feeling desperate for some bright red in my stash. Fellow babywearing online vendor Marsupial Mamas offered a coupon code on in-stock Ellevill wraps, and I pounced!

I honestly had heart palpitations when I opened the box. The color was so gorgeous! It looks like it's woven with shiny silk! And soft right out of the pretty little matching red bag! After a couple quick FWCCs around the house I immediately popped her in the wash on the hand wash cycle with some Euclan and tumbled dry on low with dryer balls.

Out of the dryer Chili had flouffed up beautifully and was much softer already. DS went back in for another FWCC and I immediately noticed what lovely and perfect bounce this wrap has! Odd with 50% linen, but it creates the perfect amount of cush and give. After bath and some milkies uppy Beau went in a DH.

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In fact, he is currently sleeping as I pace around before transferring him to his crib. I was soooooo surprised at the width of this wrap! My other Ellevill wraps are narrow; this one is not; it's more comparable to Nati linen width wise.

Amazing support, awesome grip, and the texture feels silky, odd, I though it would feel scratchy, bug me, or at least make passing the rebozo passes behind my back troublesome, and it didn't! So although I haven't worn Beau in this wrap for an extended amount of time yet in a back carry; my initial report is that it is deceivingly rock solid! Gorgeous and useful: Keeper!

Update: After a nice steam iron to stretch the fabric (and make Chili look fine & fancy for her photo shoot) we gave Chili another whirl. Again, I have nothing but praises for this wrap. Comfy, breathable, supportive, and enough give/bounce to ensure a great wrap. It is gorgeous and makes me want to wrap presents, bake Christmas cookies and sing Jingle Bells all at the same time, while babywearing of course!

~Nancy
 
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The Heartiness brand carries two very different types of baby slings; machine loomed woven wraps and hand woven wraps. Fusion Aero is a hand woven using traditional Russian weaving patterns in a luxurious quad-blend of material. Specifally; the wrap is 55% cotton, 30% merino wool, 10% silk and 5% cashmere.

A handwoven Heartiness was a long time ISO of mine. (ISO stands for in search of and is a common phrase babywearers use when talking about a wrap they are well, in search of!) I had been browsing the Heartiness website and message board for a few months when I finally got lucky to snag a "pre-order" of Fusion Aero.

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Ok, I'm ready to review Fusion; I love this wrap. The End. Just kidding!! I wrapped my nine m/o babe three times today with this wrap. I wanted to try 3 different carries to get a good feel for it so I did FWCC, DH and BWCC with a chestbelt (albeit a very sloppy one). 

I absolutely LOVE this wrap. The most similar wrap in my stash as far as "feel" goes would be my super-soft wool Mea, but this
is thicker and has more cush.

It has just enough grip to be able to say that this wrap is not slippery, but the passes still glide beautifully in a DH (double hammock). I was able to get a nice, deep seat and tight wrap each time.



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My little babe is around 20 pounds (guessing?) and he felt totally great in this wrap, not as supportive as Natibaby linen, but not saggy in the least bit either. 

This wrap has not been washed yet, but today as it stands, it is quite breathable. I was cooking in front of a hot stove with
this on and I felt great.

Update: after a bath, Fusion fluffed up so very nicely! If possible, it is now even softer and squishier than before! Though I plan to wrap Beau in this beauty until our babywearing days are through, this would make a great squish wrap too! [Oh, "a squish" or "squish" is the term for a newborn baby in the babywearing community. It took me a while to get the nag of the lingo, but now it's second nature.] Verdict: (Unless someone wants to  trade me for a Heartiness Milkyway or Navy Dragon), this is instant perma-stash/Keeper! 

~Nancy


 
Anthracite Stone Indio, or ASLI, is a relatively new wrap in my stash. It is 60% anthracite cotton threads and 40% stone linen threads. I have washed it in euclan dedicates wash, dried with dryer balls on low heat, braided, steam ironed, and wrapped with three times.

But before I begin my review I feel bound to tell you the story behind how this wrap came to live with me (Nancy). You see, I recently sold a number of wraps, carriers and ring slings on the Facebook swap. One of the wraps I sold was a Didymos Natural Silk Indio, version two (or NSI V2) which had been dyed a lovely black by the previous owner before me. This left me without a black (or dark-neutral) wrap in my stash.

A few weeks later my Grandmother Bernadette passed away and my family of seven would have to make the six hour drive to Quebec, Canada for the funeral. Since I had just completed the final layaway payment on Anthracite Stone Indio from Birdie's Room; www.birdiesroom.com, I e-mailed the proprietor and asked if they could rush the wrap to me so that I could have it for the services.

Unfortunately since Birdie's Room is headquartered in Canada, and I in the United States, it was not a fiscally responsible option. Then Birdie's Room offered to ship it to a location IN Canada for me and I could pick it up there. What a brilliant idea! I gave them the address of my aunt and uncle who lived closest to the hotel we would be staying at and the wrap arrived with a day to spare.

I tell you this story because I wanted to highlight the kind of love and caring that exists in the babywearing community, and at Birdie's Room specifically in this instance. This is the type of customer service that we here at Wee Carry will strive to exemplify and mimic.

As such, this wrap will forever be a reminder to me of my Grandma yes, but also as a tenet of good business practices, caring and compassion.

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Today I did a double-hammock or DH with a half knot and commenced my morning chores. My son Beau is almost nine months old and he weighs about 20 pounds. Beau was lower on my back than normal, but still content. Although it is too long for me I am not planning to chop it to a shorter length. I like long tails and with a thin wrap it is fine to wrap around my waist twice.

Once I put on my  *Kangarusha  babywearing/nursing necklace he started chewing on that and I hardly heard a peep out of him.  *http://www.etsy.com/shop/kangarusha

The wrap was not diggy at all. It is very supportive and soft. Not as cushy as Natural Hemp Indio (NHI) or Erba (a pale green hemp-blend Indio) , yet still plenty cushy/comfy on my shoulders and chest.

All in all I love this wrap and think it will be a great warmer weather wrap as it is quite breathable. I look forward to wearing this wrap any time I need dark neutral or black wrap. It is such a versatile color and the Indio pattern is stunning. In my opinion it has the ability to read both elegant and casual simultaneously.  This wrap is very useful and not just "pretty".  Verdict: Keeper!

~Nancy


 
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The year was 1999 and the place was Camp Pendleton; a Marine Corps base outside  of San Diego, California where I was stationed. (Yes, believe it or not I was in the Marine Corps! And even more unbelievable  I was Motor T, or MOS 3531 (Motor Transport or military occupational specialty 3531)!

I was newlywed in a rocky  marriage with a newborn daughter. I quickly found myself with a couple  baby-related problems I hadn't anticipated while pregnant.

First of all; why doesn't anyone ever tell you how much an infant car seat weighs? And similarly; how is it that someone so small could require so much gear??

So this was me: 22 year old new mom with a plethora of baby paraphernalia and a too heavy baby-plus-car seat to lug around.

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What was I to do? While returning my Medela breast pump I noticed that the shop  also sold a few types of baby carriers. I quickly decided that this was my answer!

In a matter of days my frazzled, frumpy, cluttered self and baby discovered together the wonderful art of babywearing. No longer did I need to load up the stroller in and out of the car or hurt my back while lugging the lead-like infant car seat to and fro. Now the baby went from the car seat directly to my carrier and the stroller stayed back home in the garage!

I went on to have four more beautiful children, and with each additional little blessing of a bundle; babywearing became all the more indispensable to me.

Would I consider myself a follower of Dr. Sears' "Attachment Parenting" style of parenting? No. Am I a hippie? Well, no, anyone that knows me can tell you that. I am more of a go-with-the-flow and
whatever-works-at-the-moment kind of parent. Do I breastfeed my babies? Yes. Do we co-sleep? On occasion. Do we cloth diaper? Once. But we also vaccinate and circumcise, but don't do extended breastfeeding.

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Babywearing has lately gotten a lot pf attention as being part of the AP trend, but I beg to differ. In my mind, each choice is completely separate from the other.

I love being able to hold my baby close to me while carrying on
with my day to day activities hands free. Whether it be washing dishes, folding laundry, or tending to older children; babywearing has become a wonderfully fun and incredibly valuable tool in my parenting repertoire.

 As babywearing became a necessity and a hobby to me, I decided I wanted to share my love of babywearing with other local moms. Well, first I found a fellow babywearer from, http://www.thebabywearer.com/index.php, we connected, and together started "Burlington Babywearers", the first active babywearing group in quite a while in Vermont!

Then, a few months later some friends of mine approached me about joining with them in a new business venture, selling, you guessed it, woven wraps and other babycarriers, and so "Wee Carry" came to be!

Are you curious about babywearing and how it can benefit baby while simplifying your life? I encourage you to find a local babywearing group and also to explore our website!

 
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I was lucky enough to be pregnant in winter, and while watching TV around Christmas time, I saw a commercial for Sears. The commercial was for kitchen remodeling or something along those lines, and featured a new mom and dad with their baby. Mom was wearing baby in a Moby wrap, and I was instantly drawn to the idea. I loved the hands-free aspect of the mom "wearing" her baby, and I also loved the closeness it would bring.  I immediately started googling until I finally found the Moby wrap. I read all I could about it, and knew I wanted one when my daughter was born. I registered for it at Target and Babies R Us, but had a feeling I wouldn't get it since no one would no what it was. Of course, I was a registry-stalker, and checked every day as my baby shower neared. One day, the Moby suddenly made an appearance on my list of purchased items! I was so excited! My second grade teacher, who is still a close family friend, had decided to get it for me after a tip from my mom. As soon as I got it home, I was practicing with my daughter's teddy bear (so unlike the real thing!).  I couldn't wait to wrap my daughter up close to me.
After 50 hours of labor, and a LOT of complications I won't go into, I finally got to bring home my beautiful baby girl. I was in a lot of pain, so a few weeks went by before I got to test out the Moby wrap.  The first time I used it was to take Tierney to the mall for her first picture with the Easter Bunny.  I remember standing in the food court with the instruction manual, working hard to get her wrapped tightly and comfortably. I must've done something right because she nestled in and went right to sleep!  I couldn't have been happier to have my daughter wrapped up close to my heart.
Using the Moby wrap led me to explore other babywearing options, such as the Baby K'Tan and a ring sling for the pool, both of which Tierney also loved.  Eventually, as she got bigger, the stretchy K'Tan and Moby started to sag under Tierney's weight. By about 5 months of age, they were getting a little harder to keep snug.  At that point, I started to look into other carriers. I stumbled upon the Baby Hawk Mei Tai. I loved that I could make a reversible custom carrier for only $99, so that was my next purchase. Tierney loves going for walks in her Mei Tai, and it felt much more sturdy with her increasing size.  The mei tai was fairly easy to use for front and back carries, and my husband often wears her to do things around the house as well.  I also acquired a WAHM ring sling which has a special place in my heart and diaper bag. I always take it on errand runs because it's so snuggly soft and easy to take baby in and out of in a hurry.
Soon I started hearing more and more talk about woven wraps, similar to the Moby without the stretch, and suitable for back carries, which I enjoy much more now that Tierney is older. About a month ago, I purchased my first wrap, Natibaby Black and Gray Swallows Cotton/Linen Blend, Size 4.  It came in the mail and felt so squishy and wonderful!  I couldn't wait to try it out! I immediately subjected Tierney to multiple carries, but the woven wrap definitely comes with a learning curve, and my arms were SORE that next day!  The more I practiced, the easier it became, and the softer and more supple the wrap became.  I knew I wanted a size 6 so I could do a larger variety of carries. I stumbled upon a 100% Cotton Kokadi Pink and Orange Stars, which I had already fallen in love with, and immediately purchased it!  It arrived a week later feeling totally broken in compared to the Nati. Being thinner and softer, it was much easier to work with as a beginner, and is my go-to wrap for learning new carries. The Nati has softened up more and more and is also much easier to work with now. I love using it for quick hip and front carries, and it looks great over my dressier clothes with it's gorgeous gray color (not that I really dress up much with a nine month old, but it's an option if I need it!).
So I'm still learning a lot, and I can't wait for you all to learn right along with me! We will be instilling the Carry of the Week very soon so that we can all perfect a new carry every two weeks (because we don't feel one week is really enough to master any carry). Please check back often, and don't forget to follow us on Instagram (#weecarry) for new pics of our babywearing adventures, and on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/weecarrybaby) for lots more information!

Thanks for reading!!
~jenna