Guest Blogger Thursday!

Todays post comes from my good friend Sara. Sara's blog Goodbye Beer Belly, Hello Baby Belly is all about the funny antics of raising a child in Alaska. Sara and I met at North Carolina State University in a Women's Ag Fraternity. Through the year motherhood has brought us closer as we relate and sympathize with each other. She headed out to Alaska to be with her military husband and because she's always up for a good adventure, and BOY does she get it! So enjoy her post and make sure you go to her blog and check out more of the fun!


Babies don't shiver. Did you know that? I didn't.

I've found I don't know a lot of things about the cold. I have lived most of my life in the south, so why would I need to know about the cold? However, now that I live in Alaska, being outside, in all temps, is the cool thing to do (no pun attended!)! Plus, we don't have a lot of sunlight in the winter, so you want to get outside whenever possible so you don't lose your mind being cooped up inside for 7 months straight!

I thought learning to dress myself for the cold was hard...try dressing a tiny little human being that can't tell you if they are too cold or too hot! I have been really stressed out about how to get my baby "winter ready". So, I do what all educated mothers do...I study! I read books, blogs, websites. I go to classes. I talk with other mothers!

All of this studying has been super helpful! I've learned things that I didn't even know, like babies don't shiver! To find out if your baby is too cold or too hot, place your hand on the baby's chest. If the skin is clammy and hot, remove a layer. If the skin is cool, add a layer! The areas of the baby's body that are the most prone to frostbite are the wrists, ankles, and neck! Layer, layer, layer! You should even layer hats! A tight-fitting hat is also super important!

Now that I now how to properly dress my Alaskan baby, I'm ready to try some winter activites with my babe. Like ice skating...just place your baby in their jogging stroller, and skate away! Or cross-country skiing! You can even make your own ghetto pulk sled so that you can strap your baby trailer ski sled to you and ski, ski, ski! How cool is that? (once again, no pun attended!) :)

So, now with all of this new found knowledge, I am ready for the snow! Bring it on!

Thanks Sarah! I can't wait to see what else Alaska has in store for you and Joey!