**This is going to be a lengthy post. Skip down to the bottom if you just want to go straight to my comparisons**

So this is a little off topic, but I have to share my recent discovery…. ring slings! I’ve been a huge fan of baby-wearing since Ellie was born. It promotes the bond between mother and child, lets you be hands free, and provides comfort and security for your babe. The best part is that it does all of these things AT THE SAME TIME! Plus, it’s the only way Ellie will fall asleep if we’re out.

When Ellie was teeny tiny, I mostly wore her in a Solly wrap. I loved it, but there was a lot of time spent wrapping and unwrapping the cloth around me while trying to make sure it didn’t touch the floor during the process. It was inconvenient when Ellie was fussy and I had to spend a couple of minutes making sure the Solly was correctly wrapped before putting her in.

As she got bigger, we switched over to the Ergo. It’s great, but I missed the lightness of the Solly and being able to throw it in my diaper bag. That’s where the ring sling comes in. I’ve seen it around every now and then, but never really looked into it. Boy, how I wish I jumped on this bandwagon sooner.

These ring slings from Wildbird are made up of different fabrics, lightweight, breathable (perfect for Southern California year round), come in a variety of colors, and can hold your babe up to 35 pounds. There’s also not a lot of crazy tying. You just plop your babe in, tighten, and adjust. That’s it!

Well… it does take a little practice to get the hang of it and break in the sling, but it’s still faster than a Solly.

I reached out to Wildbird with a couple of concerns for my first sling: carrying a heavier babe and being in warmer weather. They have three different fabrics– linen, chambray, and bamboo, so I wasn’t sure which one was right for me. Wildbird was extremely helpful with my decision on double chambray and bamboo. They also assured me that it wasn’t too late to start slingin’.

I introduce to you: INDIGO FINCH // DOUBLE LAYER CHAMBRAY and WARBLER // BAMBOO.

This dreamy duo was gorgeous out of the box and complemented one another. I don’t think I could love these colors any more. 

The warbler with gold rings was my cup of tea. That darker, muted, earthy yellow is the kind of yellow that I accessorize all my outfits with. The bamboo material was soft right out of the box and easy to work with. I had no problem threading it through the rings and sliding it back and forth to tighten/loosen.

Ellie adored the sling from the start. She was on my hip, her favorite place to hang out. She’s mostly content when she’s by my side.

The indigo finch fit into my closet just as well because I tend to wear a lot of solids. It’s nice having stripes to liven up my wardrobe.

I wore Ellie out everywhere: the beach, for walks, getting coffee, the mall, out to lunch, through the parking lot, up and down the aisles of the grocery store, and even to our mailbox. She was relaxed every time I slipped her into the sling.

Here’s what I learned from using the two slings over the past couple of weeks (I’m contemplating purchasing a linen just so I can compare all three fabrics! I have my eye on their double sage sling.) Please keep in mind that these are my opinions. It could be a little different for every one:

double chambray// The texture wasn’t as smooth as bamboo because the chambray has a “grippier” feel. It isn’t by any means tough, it just wasn’t as soft as bamboo. It took a little more effort adjusting the sling, but it was also more supportive. I would reach for this one if I knew I was going to be carrying Ellie for longer periods of time. The double chambray was more breathable than the bamboo and I didn’t get as hot wearing this sling. I was impressed at how the fabric didn’t wrinkle much after being stuffed in my bag for a couple of hours.

bamboo// Bamboo was seriously buttery soft. There was no breaking in needed. It glides through the rings when you’re trying to tighten and loosen the fabric. It instantly molded to our bodies and was very comfortable from the get go. In terms of baby wearing, it’s warmer than chambray. I probably wouldn’t reach for the bamboo during the summer when it’s close to 100 degrees. However, for this rainy day weather that we’ve been having, I soaked up (pun intended) every second of it. I imagine this would be the best for newborns because of how comfortable and snuggly it is.

bottom line: If you live in a hot climate with a heavier babe, go for the double chambray. If you have a newborn or you’re debating on your first sling, go for the bamboo.

All in all, Wildbird has me hooked on their ring slings. I’m glad that it wasn’t too late for me to start, even though Ellie is almost a year old and just under 20 pounds. We will still get plenty of use from our slings since they’re compact and can fit into my diaper bag with ease. Ellie loves being worn and will hang out in it all day if I’m willing to carry her.

If you’re looking for more information, be sure to check out Wildbird’s FAQ and About pages. Don’t be afraid to reach out to them with any questions, too!

I was invited a couple of weeks ago to visit the grand opening of Buca di Beppo at The Original Farmer’s Market in Los Angeles and I brought some of my family with me to celebrate my little sister’s graduation.

Yes, even Ellie came with us (although, she was a bit of a monster and we ended up having to take turns eating and carrying her outside). That was my first experience of getting dirty looks from other guests for having a crying baby. The staff, on the other hand, was amazing!

If you’ve never been to Buca before, it’s family style dining. That means larger portions of food are put in the middle of the table and everyone shares them. We started off with some fried calamari and garlic bread. I can eat all of that garlic bread for dinner and be a happy camper.

Next, we ordered the Apple Gorgonzola Salad which had Granny Smith apples, spiced walnuts, dried cranberries and Gorgonzola tossed with mixed lettuce in their signature Italian vinaigrette.

As for our entrees, we had:

Spicy Chicken Rigatoni

Prosciutto Stuffed Chicken

Supremo Italiano pizza (I think this was the winner for me that night. I loved the flat, crispy crust with tons of flavorful toppings!)

and Cheese Manicotti.

Of course, we couldn’t walk away without getting dessert. I really wish I put my hand or something in this picture so you get a better comparison for the size of this bowl. It. was. HUGE.

The Colossal Brownie Sundae has twelve decadent chunks of freshly-baked brownies layered with six scoops of vanilla and chocolate ice cream, topped with caramel and chocolate sauces then buried in mounds of whipped cream, topped with a cherry. My sister and I barely put a dent in this. I wish we could have taken this home to finish! The brownie chunks were warm and gooey, just the way I like my brownies.

If you’re looking for a place to celebrate an occasion or just to go for a casual dinner, do check out Buca di Beppo. They are wonderful with larger crowds and intimate dinners. We love going there for groups greater than eight people (which is always the case when I go out with my family). Just make sure to call ahead for reservations if you have a large party so they can accommodate you! There’s also a bar, so you never have to miss that important sports game when you’re going out for dinner (My DH was there most of the night watching the NBA semi finals).

Buca di Beppo Los Angeles – The Original Farmers Market
6333 W. 3rd Street, Los Angeles, CA 90036
323-370-6560
hours: 10AM-11PM