Our Sleeptime Must-Haves

Throughout my entire pregnancy with Emma, I prayed and prayed that she would be a sleeper. Ellie was so hard at nights and rarely napped unless I was nursing/holding her or pushing her in a stroller and it took us months to find a routine that worked for her. It was one of my biggest fears about having a second child is that I would get another difficult sleeper. I just couldn’t imagine doing the zombie mom role while still having to take care of an infant and a toddler. I barely survived some weeks with just Ellie! How was I going to do it again if I had a bad sleeper?

Fortunately, Emma has been an angel from the start and is the sweetest baby ever. I totally lucked out with her, but being that this isn’t my first rodeo, I knew what we needed to do to help build and keep her routine and get her sleeping. Getting to know Emma and watching for her sleep cues were important to build a routine around her natural sleep tendencies. We wanted to instill a good sleep routine from the start and below I’ve listed what has worked best for us and my favorite tools that help us get there!

Diaper and Jammies: A clean pair of pajamas and a fresh diaper are the first step in our routine. No matter how new the diaper may be, we always change Emma right before we put her down to avoid any leaks. We learned how important that was with Ellie and I swear, anytime I thought her diaper would be find since she had only been wearing it for a short time, she would always have a leak if I didn't change her!

Sound Machine: We used one with Ellie and have used one still with Emma. She doesn’t require one to go to sleep, but she does sleep more soundly and in longer stretches when we have it on. It creates a white noise effect that’s steady and keeps other noise out, you know, like a crazy toddler who insists on talking/crying/singing at the top of their lungs when the baby is sleeping. We even have a travel one that we used with Ellie that’s nice when we’re out and about. The one pictured is no longer available, we also use this one which has a nice projector.

Books/Quiet Play: After a busy day, the girls will need some winding down and our favorite way to settle in is with some books (BabyLit is a fave around here)! We’ll also sing songs that have hand motions like Itsy Bitsy Spider or Wheels on the Bus. We’ve also done stretching and massages as well. This part we switch out depending on our day and moods.

Sleepsack: This is a must, must, must for us! Since Emma was first born we have swaddled her and I think it’s made a significant impact in keeping her a good sleeper. When it was time for sleep, we just swaddle her up and she nearly just goes limp and passes out immediately (even her new daycare teacher noticed!). Now that’s she getting bigger and can roll, crawl, and sit up we’ve been using the new HALO Sleep Sack that's 100% cotton muslin (available on Amazon). I love this sack and it’s perfect for warm nights to keep her covered and still comfortable. I love that it zips from the top down, making diaper changes a snap! We used their HALO Sleepsack Swaddle when Emma was younger and smaller and I'm glad to have a brand we can rely on as our babies grow.

Paci: Ellie had to have a paci to soothe herself to sleep, Emma does not, but does like to chew on the edges. Sometimes when she wakes up, she plays in her crib and I'll find her playing and chewing on a paci.

We keep our routines really simple so it's easy to do every day and can be done anywhere. It's important to us to do the same thing each night and even when Emma doesn't seem tired when I turn on her sound machine she rubs her eyes and when she gets her swaddle on, she's out! Follow HALO on Instagram for sleep tips and new products!

Thank you HALO for today's post! All opinions and experiences are of my own, a sleep sack was provided to me for an honest review.

What to Pack for Daycare- For your Newborn and Toddler

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #CollectiveBias #SnugHugs

Returning to work and sending your child to daycare can be a crazy emotional ride. Even when you’ve been back to work for a while and are switching care providers, it is filled with so much anxiety! We recently started a new daycare this last month and after scouting, vetting, and interviewing several places, the night before the girls started I was still filled with so much anxiety. Will they like their new environment? Will my children thrive there? Will they get enough attention? Will they make new friends? Will their teachers love them? Leaving your child with anyone can be heart wrenching, especially when it’s the first time! Since we just made this change, I thought I would share some tips on making this an easy transition for you and your child.

 

Before making our decision, Matt and I have done the following with each daycare we've chosen. We've been at four daycares, which is more than I would like, but with seasonal changes (our first did only the school year and took summer off), and with the move, we've been through it time and again and I think we've learned more each change. Below is what we've done to help choose and transition a daycare, but it may not work for everyone. It's just some suggestions to help the transitions. 

- Matt and I checked out the daycares by ourselves first, and then later brought the girls with us to our top choices. I wanted the girls and their teachers to get to know each other a little bit before starting and without any distractions. Then we brought the girls during daycare hours to meet their classmates and observe and check out the class and its settings.

- If possible, see if you can take your children there for a half day a few days before starting, that way it’s not all brand new on their first full day. Having your children stay for a little bit of time, without you there with them, can help ease them into their new surroundings

- Front load, front load, front load. Children do so much better when they are introduced to something ahead of time and know what to expect. This strategy works great for Ellie- anytime we do something new that we worry about her reaction, we talk about what we’re doing, what will happen, and what to expect. For example, when we were having a baby we read lots of big sister books, practiced holding and being careful with babies using her dolls, explained that I would be holding the baby a lot and the baby will be sleeping in our room, etc. That way, it’s not too much of a shock to her when the event comes. For her new daycare, we talked about her new routine, what she’ll be doing in her class, etc. The first day had a bit of a rough start, but there weren’t any tears the rest of the week!

Here is a list of items I send with the girls to help make them feel comfortable and help them in a routine. Each daycare provider offers different things for your children, so your list may be different, mine has changed with each place and as they have grown.

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-They’re own bedding

My girls have sensitive skin (especially little Emma!) so I do prefer for them to sleep on bedding washed with our soap since I know it doesn’t irritate them, but another benefit is that it will smell like home! It will be comforting for them to have a familiar scent in a new place. I drop off a new sheet and blanket every Monday and take it home to wash each Friday.

- Stuffed animal/doll/toy
If your child is attached to anything or prefers something like a paci, teether, lovie, etc. be sure to pack it! It will help them feel at home and will make nap time easier for them. Our new daycare has lots of toys and entertainment for the girls, but if Emma is especially fond of a teether, I’ll bring it in. Ellie has a small baby doll she keeps at school just for nap time too. 

- Diapers / Wipes / Rash Cream
I've talked about this before, but we are a Huggies household. They fit the best for both of our girls and provide up to 12 hours of protection and keep baby's skin nice and dry. We also always buy our Huggies Snug & Dry in bulk, you save over $10 buying that way and the bulk box comes in three large packs that's easy to divvy up between home and daycare. There's also a Huggies Snug & Dry Ibotta offer starting today (3/9) for $7 off at Sam's club! We bring wipes and rash cream too to keep there. We buy wipes in bulk as well and drop off a box and large pack as needed. At our current daycare, we had to fill out a medication form for the diaper rash, but I want Emma to have what works best for her skin.

- Bottles / Cup / Food / Bibs
Every day I pack a lunch for both girls, but also keep rice cereal there for Emma. I make sure Emma has enough bottles of breastmilk each day and keep frozen milk there for an extra bottle, just in case. I also pack bibs at the start of each week and bring the used ones home each day. A bowl/spoon may be needed too for your baby's food.

- Change of clothes
Each girl has two changes of clothes that we keep at daycare. Two sets of tops, pants, undies for Ellie, and socks. I also keep a long sleeve jacket/shirt for each girl as well. I pack them in a large Ziplock with their names on each one.

Other tips are to label everything of your child's- it's easy to get mixed up with others and lost. If it's plastic, I write their names on it and for fabric, I just put their initials on the tags. Also, if possible, drop off the items that you'll be keeping there permanently or for the week before your first day. I also pack everything we need the night before.

Be sure to check out the Huggies Snug & Dry Ibotta offer starting today (3/9) for $7 off at Sam's club! 

That's everything we pack each week for the girls! Their new daycare is amazing and I'm so happy for their new environment, it's exactly what the girls needed and we've really enjoyed it. It doesn't get easier to make changes, but knowing your child is being well attended too eases the mind. I like to think that I've packed them for anything and are ready for all the fun. What do you pack for your little ones? What do you do to help make it easier?

Baby #2 Faves

One of the best things about having a child after your first, is that you know what you're doing (for the most part, I mean you kid is still alive and well taken care of right?). You also know what you like and what you didn't. Granted, every child is different and may prefer one paci or bottle over another, but you can navigate the aisles of any baby store like a pro to find what will work.

Most of what we used with Eleanor has been working with us, we purchased a few of the same things that needed to be replaced or bought the updated versions of them. That's another plus for the 2+ child is that you own most of the baby items you need!

Rock and Play : Ours is one of the OG styles and is no longer available, but now there's so many options and patterns to choose from! Ours is in perfect condition, but I would love the one I linked to that rocks itself, how magical is that? Me and all my mommy friends all swear by this and it's the first thing I tell new mommies they need to get. When checking out of the hospital with Emma, the baby doctor came by and had a picture of a Rock and Play and said that if we didn't already have one to stop on the way home to pick one up! I'm telling you, they're a must-have!

Zip Swaddler // Velcro Swaddler: We love swaddles for sleeping, both naps and overnight. I prefer these swaddles that make it super easy for me and hard for the baby to escape. We don't really have a preference for one over the other, the biggest differences is the zip is pretty tight whereas the velcro has some more wiggle room for Emma. The zip swaddle will be great when we start to transition out of swaddling since it opens on each side to let an arm out (I'll have to get a larger size when Emma is ready for that). She is actually outgrowing these right now and I'm going to pick up the next size this week for her.

Swaddling Blankets (first two, the next four, last three): One can never have enough blankets! I love them and went a bit overboard with Emma. We use them at home, when we're out, as a nursing cover, to throw over the carseat, to lay down for playtime, etc. There's so many uses and Ellie still uses hers all the time- for her babies, as a lightweight blanket for herself in the summer, and in the car. The top two blankets aren't as big, but the fabric is thicker. I like that they're a heavier fabric for cooler days and make a good transition blanket for the season. I also prefer my blankets to be large, over 40 inches each way.

Boppy (I have this and this slipcover): Anytime I nurse at home I use the Boppy. It's just the most comfortable way for me to nurse and it was the same with Eleanor too. I also brought it with me to the hospital for both babies, it was great for me to use and for visitors who wanted to hold the babies.

K'Tan: With Eleanor, I tried several carriers before finding this gem. It's super easy to use, I can put it on really quickly and by myself. With Ellie I used it mostly because it kept her calm and my hands free, but with Emma it's a whole new ball game. This is the only way we can go shopping! I put Ellie in the shopping cart and wear Emma at every store. It makes errand running so much easier! I'm thinking about picking up the breeze version too.

These are my tried and true favorites that worked for both our babies. I swear by these products and have been so happy with my experiences with them. It's only been two years since my first baby and so many of these items have been updated with new features, colors, or prints. I thought about getting some new items just for the updates, but I'd rather just save that money for college...or headbands.

What are your favorite baby items? What worked best for your growing family?

Product Review: Milk Snob Carseat/Nursing Cover

When pregnant, I came across Milk Snob covers and absolutely was so interested and had to have one for myself. I saw nothing but great reviews and I'm so happy that they offered me one to try myself! I've used it the last few weeks with Emma Brooke and it has absolutely lived up to the hype!

I love using it while we're out because it keeps the sun out of her eyes, it keeps lookey loo strangers away, and it's easy to use as a nursing cover! The pics above show me using it at a birthday party last weekend and it was perfect and so easy to use. The fabric is extra soft and lightweight and the hole at the top fits perfectly over our car seat and is super simple to use as a nursing cover.

When we're out, I get asked by at least two people about my cover. Everyone is interested, and to be honest, I haven't seen anything like this before Milk Snob. I love when products can serve double duty, less to tote around and makes sure you get all the bangs for your buck. The cover also folds up small and slips inside your purse for storage without any bulk. It's an awesome cover and I 100% recommend it! There's tons of colors and prints (like this gorgeous floral). If you are looking for a great multi-functional cover, head over and add to cart! You won't be disappointed! 

Baby Must Haves- Reviewing the Year

These last few weeks I’ve been thinking about my monthly Baby Must Haves and which products I shared that have really lasted the test of time. The idea first popped into my head to check back through the posts when I was nursing Ellie using our Boppy and then again when we cleaned out our garage and are storing some of the baby items for Baby #2 (whenever that happens).

Overall, I think my monthly must-haves were pretty accurate for that month and the items featured. I wanted to do a blog post on items that we have really used a lot, focusing on items that I used for several months and would consider as Baby Holy Grail items for our family. There are only a few items that didn’t stand the test of time and we only used them for a very short period. I’ll go over them in detail and why I feel like they’re just ok in a future post since this one is so long. I'm leaving out toys for now, those change so frequently, there are definitely some stand outs and I may do a future post on those too. Would you be interested?

Backpack Diaper Bag: We’ve used a backpack for Ellie since the beginning. A few people made comments to me about being such a “fashionista” that they were surprised that I would be using a backpack instead of some trendy bag, but I prefer to have my hands free. Plus, the pockets and extra storage is nice to have and it’s easy to switch between Matt and myself without having to either keep two bags stocked or switching items back and forth. Ok, so this wasn't featured in any of my must have posts, but I don't know why! I can't believe I've left it out and had to include it in this post!

Glider: We didn’t get a glider for several months, we were using an old school rocking chair and I think that is one of my biggest regrets. Get yourself a glider! They are so much nicer to sit and rock your child. We still use ours with Ellie, and I really wish we had bought one to start. I just didn’t think it would make that big of a difference for us. Looking back to when we were first home and I had to sleep on the couch sitting up for the first few nights, if we had a glider, my nights would have been 100% better. Get one from the start! This is another item I didn't post about in my must haves, but it is definitely a must have!

Boppy: I swear by my boppy! I used it from day one, it makes nursing so much easier for me. I have used a pillow as well, but prefer the boppy. Definitely take it with you to the hospital! It puts everyone at ease to hold such a little one in their arms. Originally posted in my very first monthly must have.

The First Years Sound Machine: This is another item we use everyday for naps and bedtime. Ellie doesn't need it to go to sleep (which is great!), but it blocks out the noise while we're doing stuff around the house. She knows it's time to sleep when the noise goes on. It's also the only night light in her room, it's a soft blue calming light. It's not very strong so it leaves her room pretty dark. It's also from the first monthly must have!

Thirty One Tote Bag: This was a gift from my baby shower and was also included in our 3 Month Must Haves, and we use it every single day! It’s the bag I use to prepare for daycare, food/extra outfit/toy/etc. We also use in conjunction with our diaper if we’re going somewhere and need extra storage. I also use it for church to carry a few items for Ellie. It’s nice that it’s a tote and has easy access to get into and the extra pockets on the side are convenient to hold my phone, extra pacis, and sippy cup. During the week when I tell Ellie that we’re ready to go, she gets her bag and tries to carry it herself, it’s the cutest thing! I need to get a picture of her doing it.

Taggies Tag 'n Go Cart Cover: This was from our 6 Month post, and we still use it! It's nice to have something covering the carts when we go out, especially when there's some sickness going around. We don't use it every single time, but 2/3 of our trips for sure. It's a great baby shower gift!

Fisher-Price My Little Snugabunny Bouncer: This was a gift from above! We used this so much and we're hanging on to it for the next baby! Featured in our 4 Month Must Haves, Ellie was very particular about what she was snuggled in and this was one of the few items she liked. It's on sale right now too!

Baby K'Tan Baby Carrier: Also included in the 3 Month post, I love this carrier and will still use it on my hip to carry Ellie. It's in great condition after all the washes and times we've used it. This would also be a great gift for a mommy to be. It's super easy to use and the best carrier we tried.

OxiClean Max Force Gel Stick: This is an absolute must-have! It's been 15 months of uh-ohs and I don't have a SINGLE article of clothing with a stain. This stuff is the bomb. It gets out everything and has never bothered our little girl's skin. Included in our 2 Month Must Haves.

Fisher-Price My Little Snugabunny Cradle Swing: A swing is a need in baby days. I've also heard great things about the Momaroo, but have never tried it myself. This is the swing that we have and enjoyed, but I think most swings will get the job done. Included in our 2 Month Must Haves.

Muslin Blankets: The word on the street is right, muslin blankets are the best! They're big, soft, and great for use year-round. We have several from different brands, but my favorite are these from Carter's. We still keep one in the diaper bag, it's great to cover her when she's sleeping, to put on the floor when she's playing, etc. My 2 Month Must Haves, was on point since these last three items are from that post!

What are some of your Mommy Holy Grail items? Am I missing something from my list? Did these items work for you? If not, what and why not? I love hearing what items are must haves from other mommies!

Baby Must Haves: 12 Months

Wow. So I’m super behind, but wanted to finish up my first full year of baby must-haves. This past year has been incredible and so much fun. Every month was better than the last and continues to still get better. Having a child has enriched my life beyond measure and has been an incredible journey. I want to get all mushy here and write how much becoming a mother means to me, but I’ll save that for another time. It’s really hard to articulate the love I have for her and the joy she brings me.

Here are some fun updates with Ellie, we had her 1 year baby wellness appointment and she is still above average in both height and weight. That’s not a shocker since most “pants” are short on her and I have to size up on the majority of her clothing. She has started to babble with more meaning to what she’s trying to communicate. She has said “up”, "papa", and “mine” a few times and says different variations of “ba” and “bla” for blocks or her sippy cup. She points at everything, brings you stuff, and follows simple commands. She also started walking just a few weeks before her first birthday! Which is tons of fun. It’s amazing how fast she’s developing and growing. It’s seriously ridiculously crazy how our bodies and minds work.

We are still breastfeeding, but are going to start the weaning process. I’m going to possibly do a post about our journey because it really has been a roller coaster. I’m so happy and surprised that we have even made it this far. I would like to nurse for longer, but I’ve barely hung on as it is! I think it will be pretty tough on her, she has started to point to our boppy (which I almost always use to nurse) and pull it to me as well as pulling on my shirt when she’s ready to nurse. I want to wean as naturally as possible, I don’t want this to be a negative experience for us. If you have any tips at all, please share!

Here are some of our most used/played with items this past month:

Small Chair or Seat: We gave this to Ellie on her first birthday and she’s obsessed with her chair. At my cousins' homes they have similar chairs or mini love seats that pull out into a bed and Ellie absolutely loves playing and sitting on them. I remember being a child and loving anything that was small and my size. Now there are so many toys available for children, I’m excited to give Ellie some of the stuff I know I would have enjoyed myself.

Push Toys: I’ve posted about push toys back in my 9 Month Must Haves and wanted to add some new ones. Now that Ellie is walking on her own, she loves toys that are easy to move with her. She loves push toys more now that she’s able to play more with them while walking instead of using it to help her walk. She loves the shopping cart to put her toys in as she moves around the house and take them out. For her birthday she also received fun vacuum and popping push toys as well that she enjoys. It’s so cute to see her interact more with the toys and play with others.

Glow Worm: This doll is Ellie's must have. She sleeps with it every night and has to have it. It sings various lullabies and its face lights up. After 10 minutes it stops playing and the light dims to off. It's great on the nights we put Ellie to sleep tired, but she's not quite ready to fall asleep yet. There's been a few times where she wakes during the night crying because she doesn't have her doll and she reaches out for it and goes back down. I love checking on her at night and seeing her cuddle her dolls, it's so sweet. She'll play and cuddle this doll and now even pushes all of her other dolls tummy to see if they do any tricks.

Fisher-Price Laugh and Learn Say Please Tea Set: Ellie got this gift as an early birthday present. When we went to Utah earlier this year, my cousin's child had the same toy and Ellie had a great time playing with it. Since getting the toy for herself, I have to seriously pry it out of her hands for bedtime. It's so cute and I love the songs and sounds it makes.

Mickey Mouse Clubhouse (Greatest Hits): Ellie loves music and really enjoys the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse songs. This CD has lots of songs and it's fun to listen to on long drives. She kicks her feet and gets excited when she hears songs she recognizes. I think my next CD purchase for her will be this Now That's What I Call Disney, Vol. 1.

What are some of your baby's favorite toys and items?

Baby Must Haves: 11 Months

So this post is so ridiculously late being published because I needed to get the links and pictures, etc. The post itself was written in real time so I'll just leave it as is and please remember that it was actually written two months ago.

This is the last month my little baby is still a baby, she’ll be moving onto toddlerhood and the time is passing so quickly. A week or so ago, we dressed her in “big girl” jammies (a short sleeve, no feet two piece set) and I wanted to cry my eyes out at how big she looked. That night when she woke up, I nursed her back to sleep and rocked her much longer than I should have cherishing that quiet moment between us.

I’ve mentioned before in previous posts that Ellie is high maintenance in terms of having our attention and being held a lot. Sometimes it’s frustrating that she needs/wants to be held all the time when I need to get things done and wearing her doesn’t work for whatever I’m doing. Someone often comments that I must get sick of it or hate it and I always reply, “It can be frustrating, but I only get to hold for such a small amount of time so I enjoy it”. I try and savor the little things with her, I’m only going to get to hold her for a few years and then she’ll be too big for me to pick her up or rock her. There will be a time where she won’t need me here for her in the same way. Since becoming a mother, I’ve really tried to focus on my time with Eleanor. I don’t want to look back with regrets and wish that I took advantage of our time together better. One quote I heard and has always stuck with me is “The days are long, but the years are short” and I think about it often and how true the words really are. I hope I can continue to savor our moments together and not get distracted by life or tantrums to let these days pass me by.

With these last weeks before her first birthday, I’ve been super emotional. It catches me at small moments like the night in her big girl jammies. This year has been such a fantastic journey. I love how much Ellie changes and grows on a daily basis. The look of sheer joy on her face when she enjoys something, how proud she is of herself when she learns something new, and the belly laugh from our nighttime tickles warms me up inside. She has so much personality and I can’t wait to hear her talk and be able to express herself more.

Two Piece Jammies- Besides the heart ache changing from footed jammies to the set, these jammies are perfect for summer time. Also, it’s hard to find footed jammies in 18 months so I don’t have much of a choice at this point either. These whale ones crack me up from- I smirk every time I think about the cute play on words.

Snack Cups: A little girl at daycare uses these snack cups and our DC provider told me how much Ellie loves them and always shares (snatches it away) with her. I didn’t realize Ellie was old enough or have the motor skills to use a snack cup yet, but babies surprise you. I went out and bought her some before Easter and she has gone to town with them. She holds onto that sucker like her life depended on it.

Sun Hat: We are spending more and more time outdoors and with Ellie’s fair skin and nearly bald head (she has hair, but it’s so light it’s hard to see all of it) we have been wearing lots of hats to help protect her from the sun. I bought this hat earlier this year, but for the life of me cannot find it for her anywhere since we’ve moved. I remember packing it away, but have yet to come across it. We have the exact same hat in a 2T version that doesn’t have the chin strap on it and thankfully she keeps the hat on! Woohoo! I’m happy she enjoys wearing it and plan on buying a few more- especially some swim hats like last summer.

Toddler Swing
Another gift from the Easter Bunny, we've had a ton of fun with this swing. She just giggles and giggles as we push her. The only con is that the straps are not an ideal length for the height of our deck so we plan on having them extended. I guess it just depends on your patio area. This is the gift that will keep on giving, all the kids at our housewarming party wanted a turn on the swing.

Baby Must Haves: 10 Months

Oh my gosh. This post is so late! I'm working on 11 months must have post so that one won't be too late, next week for sure! We've been so crazy getting the house ready, moving, and I've been going back and forth between the new house and my in-laws while I wait for a transfer at work. Our schedule has been hectic and I've had this post half-written for a few weeks now.

This past month has been so much fun with Ellie, and I feel like I write that with every post, but it's the truth! She has so much personality and is a real joy to be around. Ellie waves all the time and loves to clap. She can also get off the couch and our bed on her own, which she thinks is the coolest thing. She has really deep belly laughs and loves to be tickled. She points at everything she wants and where she wants to go. She still babbles and talks all the time. We no longer eat any purees and have gone to complete finger foods. It's so nice to serve her what we have for dinner (unless it's spicy or has a lot of seasoning, then we feed her something else) and I've enjoyed packing a variety of lunches for her at daycare.

Here are some of our favorite items for this month/stage.

Small Doll- Matt's mother gave Ellie this adorable Cabbage Patch doll in her Christmas stocking and Ellie absolutely loves it. She is constantly giving it loves and kisses. She has a couple of other dolls, but this one is by far her favorite. They come in several different themes and I'm thinking about getting a second one as a back up even.

Playtex Training Cups: I love this set so much and it has been the best for Ellie. We have bought several different brands and types and this is the set we like best so far. It comes with one sippy cup and one straw cup and Ellie has mastered both. They don't leak whatsoever. It can be kind of tricky to get the handle on with the lid so we often leave the handles off (I think Ellie prefers that too since her bottles don't have handles). They also have easy lids that pop on and off to cover the mouthpiece, which I like.

Wooden Stacker
When I was decorating the nursery, I bought this stacker to add some color to her book shelf and now it’s one of her favorite toys! The bright colors, varying sizes, and different shapes help her motor skills and she has a blast knocking them all off and trying to stack them up. Who knew such a simple toy would bring such joy? I think this is a perfect gift for her age if you’re shopping for someone, I personally love wood toys, they really stand the test of time. My grandmother kept a small closet filled with toys from my dad’s childhood and some of the wooden toys were my favorite to play with.

Textured Ball
I bought a pink and purple version of this small ball for Ellie's Easter basket and we have had so much fun together. She really enjoys the texture the spikes offer her fingers (and of course her mouth) and we roll it back and forth while she just giggles. It's been a lot of fun for our family to play with.

Sleepytime Story & Lullabies: The Little Mermaid
Nana gave this to Ellie for Easter and it's really nice to have on long car rides when I want Ellie to nap or relax. The first part is the mermaid's story followed by four lullaby versions of the songs. I want to see if there are more Disney lullaby songs that we can purchase, we've really enjoyed this CD a lot.

What are some of your little one's favorite items?

Baby Must Haves: 9 Months

Nine months have just flown by so quickly, I can't believe we will be celebrating her first birthday in just a few short months. This past month has been fantastic, Ellie is so silly and fun. She flirts with everybody, tilts her head to the side and smiles, waves to everyone, and loves to stick out her tongue. She gives us kisses too, which is my favorite. She's growing really tall and her big round belly is beginning to flatten out a bit. Her hair is still really blonde with a touch of strawberry (which I hope will stay) and her eyes are a striking blue. People always tell me how much she looks like my husband, but I really think there's a strong mix of us both. I guess whichever side of the family you know best is what traits stand out the most to you. Sometimes I think she's my twin and other days all I see in her is Matthew.

We also have a great nighttime routine (finally!). Before, no matter what we did and how often, it only worked for a short time and now bedtime is so simple. We really just needed to pay more attention to Ellie's sleep cues and work out what works best for all of us. Parenting is funny like that, sometimes the answer is simple and right in front of you.

Solids are still going good! We are doing purees still, but have started with more finger foods. It's hard because when she eats finger foods I don't feel like she eats as much as when I feed her myself. We'll give her toast, cheese, eggs, shredded chicken, and some fruits and then still feed her some purees afterwards. Sippy cups are going well, I don't have any favorites yet that she prefers though. Each night we give her a cup with water (and she gets one at daycare with her lunch) and she's learning to use a straw. I haven't switched her bottles out yet though, I think I'll wean from bottles as I start her on milk. I'm getting bored with the food we're eating, I mix her purees  to create new flavors, but do any of you have suggestions on what your little ones enjoy eating?

Zipper PJs: When Ellie was younger and we were changing her diapers during the night, I preferred button up pjs because it kept her top half covered up and I liked the idea of her staying warm and comfortable while we changed her. Now that she’s older and she sleeps in the same diaper overnight we no longer have that same need and I prefer zipper pjs. Also, since she’s all over the place and in a hurry to be on the move, the zipper is so much quicker to change her into.

Mermaid Doll: Ellie has a couple of dolls that have a rattle in them and she loves them. We like to play with them and give them loves and the fact that they make a noise brings a big smile to her face.

LeapFrog Shapes And Sharing Picnic Basket: This is the last of the Christmas presents Santa gave Ellie and we finally opened it this past month. She loves it! She likes the food pieces and the cup and places with them constantly. She also enjoys taking everything out of the basket (she doesn’t like to put them in though! LOL) and the basket sings songs and asks questions about the food which I think she’ll really enjoy in a few years when she understands. This is a great toy that will grow with her and I can see her using it for the next 4-5 years probably, I’m sure there are lots of pretend picnics in my future.

VTech Sit-to-Stand Learning Walker: Ellie is on the move! This toy is so much fun and she loves running back and forth across our living room with this gem. This is another gift from Santa that is great to have now because it grows with your child. The front pops off to use on the floor once your child is sitting up on its own and the wheels have two levels of speed to keep up with your child’s pace. Right now they are in slow lock so it doesn’t take off without her. Toys like this are great for your little one to learn to walk and balance themselves, I’m sure Ellie will be walking in no time.

Blocks: We are using these blocks now to stack and have Ellie knock over, but a set of wooden blocks may make it into her Easter basket this year. We love to build towers up for her to knock over, it’s so much fun and she loves the activity. A good set of blocks will be great for her motor skills and to build higher and more towers for her. She doesn't put these blocks through the holes yet, but she loves to dump them out and see if she can take one of the stack I make for her without knocking all of it over.

Baby Must Haves: 8 Months

For our 8 month must-have, I’ve been wracking my brain about what items Ellie has been loving because there’s only one golden item and it felt weird to post about just one thing (her other favorite toys and things we use for her have been mentioned on previous monthly must-haves), however, I don’t want any of my posts to feel forced or that I’m reaching for straws for content. We have opened more of her Christmas gifts and have bought a few new things for her that we have really enjoyed with her this past week, but that won’t be posted until next month, once they have gotten lots of use and prove to be products worth sharing. I like to try items for a while before posting reviews on the blog, especially on my baby posts because as a new mother, if someone tells me it’s a must-have, I take their word for it. I don’t like to buy something for her that we use for a few days and it’s awesome, but doesn’t last in the long run.

Fisher-Price Elmo’s Sing and Teach Table

We received this toy as a hand-me down from my aunt and uncle back in October and Ellie has been in love with it since. Before, we had to have her on our knee to play with it because she couldn’t reach it sitting down, but now that she can pull herself up she is OBSESSED with this toy. It’s the first thing she reaches for to play with every.single.time. Her face just lights up with sheer joy when she hears the songs and sees Elmo move his head side to side. My husband and I both get the songs stuck in our heads and sing them now too. She has loved playing with this activity center since October and her love for it has only grown. She laughs and “talks” to it and has the widest grin on her little chubby face. She works it from one side to the next and goes back again. Ellie has played with a few activity centers similar to this one at friend’s homes, but this one takes the cake. If you’re looking for a center to grow with your baby from the floor to standing (or kneeling) I would recommend this one 100%! It gave my cousin lots of entertainment for her and now Ellie is gaga for it and I’m sure your little one will be too.

I’m not sure if I’ve mentioned this before, but Ellie now has her two bottom teeth and her two top ones have been coming in and have just broken through the gums. She hasn’t been too fussy, but just extra needy. She wants to be held 24/7 on a few days, and even when I’m holding her, she’s still not happy. We’ve been using Hylands Teething Tablets and some other teethers. Thankfully, she’s not too bad (knock on wood) and I’ve heard that these top teeth are the worst!

She is also crawling all over our place! She’s gotten really quick to and is getting into everything. When we call her name out to tell her “No” she just looks at us and smiles. She has a lot of interest in standing and likes to sit on her knees and she puts one foot up, but hasn’t developed the strength/coordination yet to use that foot to push her up to a standing position. She also like to stand up on her legs while pushing herself up from the floor, making a little tent figure with her body for now. It’s so amazing to see all the milestones she reaches and how much changes on a daily basis. On one hand, I’m sad it goes so fast, and on the other I’m so excited and proud of her and the new things that are happening.

Right now, we only have a few more months until her first birthday, which I can’t believe is coming so fast, and we’re trying to decide on what we want to do about breastfeeding. My goal to breastfeed was a year, and now that the year is almost done we are trying to decide when to wean. Should we wean early so we’re finished nursing at 1? Should we wait to 1 to start weaning? Or should we wait until Ellie is ready before the weaning process? We’ve been discussing the different options and we’re kind of at a standstill as to what will be best for all of us, but I’m curious as to what worked for your family? What did you do with your little ones and how did you decide?

Our Baby Food Journey

Introducing Ellie to food has been something we've been looking forward to and we chose to wait until she was 6 months before trying any solids or purees. As the 6 month mark approached, I began to feel nervous about what types of food to start with, how I wanted to introduce them, the order of foods to try, etc. Who knew feeding a baby would bring about so many questions? The only question I didn’t have was that I wanted to make my own food.

Most of the women in my family have made their own food, my mother did with both my sister and I, and my sister in law did with both of her children. Then Kristin, of Mama and Mou has also posted a lot about it and I’ve emailed her a few times with different questions I had- she was a great resource and thanks again for all your help!

We started Ellie off with organic rice cereal and with her first taste, she wasn’t a big fan of it (as you can see in the above pic!). The face she made was hilarious, and she was a good sport. She tried a few more bites before showing no interest and turning her head away. With her second taste, we couldn’t feed her fast enough! The first few bites she would make a face, but still want more. I think she was just getting used to the new texture.

My SIL and I got together after a grocery store run, and she helped me steam and puree all my veggies for Ellie. We used the book, Cooking for Baby for reference on how long to cook items and how to prepare them (steam, boil, or bake and whether the peels/skin were ok) and in 2.5-3 hours time, we made enough food for several weeks! I couldn’t believe how easy it was and couldn’t imagine why anyone wouldn’t want to do it. Now, I don’t judge any mother for what/how she chooses to feed her baby, maybe making food doesn’t appeal to everyone, so whatever floats your boat and works for your family.

The entire process was really simple, we would use a double boiler for most of the veggies (the butternut squash and sweet potato we baked), putting water in the bottom pot and the veggies in the top pot. After a few minutes we would check to see if the vegetables were steamed all the way through and were easy to pierce with a fork. If they were ready, we would pop them into the baby bullet and puree them to smithereens. Most of the veggies pureed thin enough on their own, but the peas, carrots, and green beans I had to add a little bit of water to get them to the right consistency. Once the veggies cooled down, I poured them into ice cube trays to freeze. Then after they were frozen, I popped them out and placed them in freezer bags with the date they were made. Each night I would place the amount of ice cubes for her serving in a bowl with a lid to thaw for lunch/dinner the next day.

We started Ellie off with vegetables and began with peas, then zucchini, butternut squash, yellow squash, carrots, sweet potato, and green beans. She has absolutely loved everything so far and thankfully, we haven’t had any bad experiences either with tummy aches or rashes. This weekend we moved onto fruits starting with pears and apples. Unfortunately, there’s not a large variety of fruit in season at this time so I’ve also picked up Gerber Organic Peaches in the meantime so Ellie can try a variety of foods. I’ve also started to mix some of the veggies together to create new flavors for her.

She’s so funny, because you can’t feed her fast enough. If you wait to give her another bite, she fusses and gets mad. I love it! We also give her Gerber Puffs and Baby Mum-Mums (which she loves) and have started to give her water with her dinner as well. Before officially starting on fruits, we have given Ellie a banana in a mesh eater and a sliced apple to gnaw on, both of which she did not care for whatsoever. They were both new textures and are much sweeter than the veggies we’ve been giving her so I’m not surprised at her reaction. We will just keep trying new things to get her used to a variety of flavors and textures. Our experience so far has been really good and fortunately, Ellie has been a great eater. She's loved everything we've actually fed to her and has been a great eater. I hope she stays this way and I look forward to the time when I can just give her smaller portions of what Matt and I eat.

Right now she still drinks the same amount of milk as before, that has not weaned yet. She sometimes has rice cereal in the mornings, and sometimes not. Just depends on how our mornings go and how long of a nursing she gets when she wakes up. She eats lunch at daycare and 3-4 bottles, then Matt and I feed her dinner while the other one is cooking. After she eats her dinner, she gets some puffs, mums, and a bottle of water while we eat. We've tried giving her sippy cups at dinner, but she hasn't got the hang of how they work yet so for the meantime we're just giving her a bottle with water for now.

Here are some of my favorite food items so far:

Gerber Graduates BPA Free Bunch-A-Bowls with Lids

Munchkin Soft-Tip Infant Spoons

Pullover Towel Bibs

Gerber Graduates Puffs 

Baby Mum-Mums

Earth's Best Organic Rice Cereal

Baby Bullet Complete Baby Care System 

Be sure to check out Mama and Mou today, I have a guest post up about my baby blue experience! I'm so honored to be featured. If you have a little one, be sure to link up every Tuesday!

Baby Must Haves: 7 Months

Month 7 has been absolutely awesome, especially with the holidays (which I hope to recap this week). Ellie now says "dada" and best of all she's crawling! Christmas eve morning she just started doing it and I couldn't have been more proud. I am so grateful that I had the day off and was there to witness this milestone. In the weeks before, she really didn't show any interest in crawling and could get across the room scooting on her butt. Then a few days before Christmas she would get on her hands and knees a lot and we knew it would be any day that it would just click for her and she'd be on the move. Time to baby proof! Oh, and yes, I totally realize I should have done this already. What are some baby proofing items you recommend? We need to put up a gate around our TV, but what would be the best one?

Fisher-Price Brilliant Basics Stack & Roll Cups: These bowls are so much fun! They stack onto each, can snap to each other as they stack, snap into balls, and Ellie loves to knock them over. They're pretty versatile and an absolute must-have. Our daycare provider gave them to Ellie as a Christmas present, and she knew what a gem she was giving!

Fisher-Price Rock-A-Stack: Ellie loves this classic toy, but hasn't quite figured out how to stack the rings just yet. She just loves to take the rings off and her favorite part of the toy is the yellow stick. She loves dragging that as she crawls and biting the top. I'm sure she'll be stacking those rings in no time though.

Bright Starts Having A Ball Count 'n Roll Buggie: This little bug is so cute! It sings songs, moves all around on the hard floor, and spins the balls and shoots them out. Ellie is mesmerized by it. She loves the balls and the tunes.

Vtech Move and Crawl Ball: Just after Thanksgiving, my sister gave Ellie this ball as an early Christmas gift and she really enjoys playing with it. It sings a lot of songs, lights up, and rolls away from her, encouraging her to crawl. It has a few tunes it plays, and "teases" them to come get it.

The First Years Infant to Toddler Deluxe Reclining Feeding Seat: I should have included this with the 6 month must-haves, but I forgot to. This feeding chair has been great for our apartment, I like that it's versatile with different reclining positions and heights and that it converts to a booster seat. It's also made eating dinner as a family so much better. When we ate dinner, Matt and I would often have to take turns eating because she would get so fussy sitting on the ground by herself, she wanted to know what was going on above her. Now, we can sit her there when she's not eating to join us at the table.

MAM Baby Pacifiers: Praise the Lord, my baby will finally take a pacifier. She is such a comfort nurser I would beg her to take a paci and she just refused. She takes one now and it has made getting her to sleep and comforting her so much easier on me (and my nipples). She just started taking one a few weeks ago out of the blue and transitioned from 0 months to 6+ months without problems. I hope she outgrows it naturally and I was kind of worried about her taking to one so late, but it made life so much easier.

Baby Must Haves: 6 Months

Hello! I'm so far behind on posting my must-haves, I thought to combine them, but it would end up such a long post I'll just post 7 months next week.

Ellie started saying "mama" and it absolutely melts my heart. She started saying it the week of Thanksgiving and said it all day long and into the night. Nothing makes those 3am wake up calls easier than listening to her call out my name for comfort. Now, she only says mama when she needs me, but for those first two weeks, she said it all the time and it was joyous!

We also started solid foods, which I made myself by steaming/baking her veggies and using the Baby Bullet to puree them. It's been really easy and Ellie loves everything she's tried so far which include; peas, zucchini (her favorite so far), yellow squash, butternut squash, and sweet potato. My sweet sister-in-law helped me and between her help and Kristin of Mama and Mou's post, I followed them both pretty closely. I may do my own post about the experience, but Kristin covered it pretty well so shoot over there if you're interested in making your own food as well.

Munchkin Baby Bath Ball: We love this ball at bathtime. I bought it a few months ago, but Ellie just started taking an interest in it recently. She loves to feel the water come out the holes and chewing on the soft plastic. There's not many bath toys available for young babies and this has been the best so far. What are your favorite bath time toys?

Baby Bullet Food System: We have a food processor already, but it's such a hassle to clean and I was gifted this at my baby shower and love it. It's so quick to puree her food, it's easy to clean, and I store everything together in the box in a spare closet when it's not in use. I would definitely recommend having one if you don't already have a food processor to use.

Baby Einstein Baby Neptune Ocean Orchestra Musical Toy: This toy is so much fun, it lights up and plays a variety of tunes. It also slides easily across carpet and Ellie really enjoys playing with it and is memorized by the lights.

Bright Starts Pretty In Pink My First Cookbook: These soft books have that plastic page(s) that make noise and it keeps Ellie busy forever. It's such a simple toy and she's used it for a few months and still enjoys the noise it makes, the plastic "cookie" to chew, and the tags at the bottom. We take ours everywhere.

Taggies Tag 'n Go Cart Cover: Now that Ellie can sit up on her own, putting her in a shopping cart is a total game changer. She loves to look around and see what's around her. It has made running errands a million times easier. Before I would either wear her at the store or put her entire car seat inside the cart, which didn't leave much room for what we were buying. These covers are awesome to put over the cart (and even high chairs) to keep their toys together, let them put their mouths on the fabric, and keep germs at bay. Plus, you can just throw it in the wash as needed.

Baby Must Haves: 5 Months

Ellie has grown so much this past month! I’ve been looking at her newborn pictures and seeing how much she has changed is incredible. She has so much more hair, she’s so much bigger (especially longer!), and has so much personality! Her sense of humor is really apparent, she has fully belly laughs, and reacts when you make silly faces or noises. She’s sitting up unassisted and reaches for you when she wants you to hold her or pick her up. It melts my heart each day when I get home to see her big toothless grin and her chubby arms reaching for her mama. I wasn’t kidding in my previous monthly must-have posts that each month is more fun than the last! They just grow and change so much that each day is something new and it’s an amazing experience.

Baby Einstein Musical Motion 2-in-1 Stationary Jumper & Entertainer 
 I got this saucer and some other products (that we gave Matt’s parents to have at their home since it would be double for us) from a moms Facebook group I’m in and Ellie absolutely loves it! It’s so nice to put her in it while I’m doing stuff around the house. She loves exploring the different activities on each side and can completely turn herself to each side on her own. Her feet don’t quite touch the ground yet so I’ve put a blanket underneath her for now. The moment she realized how to push the buttons herself was so fun! She had been trying to figure out how to make the music and lights go off and she finally figured out how to push the button, I was so proud of her. It’s the little things in life.

Dish Drying Mats
We have a bottle rack for all of her bottles and my pump parts, but sometimes there’s just not enough room. I didn’t want to buy a 2nd drying rack for bottles and when we were at Costco a few weeks ago they had a two pack drying mat for $7.99! They’re awesome! Super absorbent, can be put in the wash, and folds up nicely to fit in a cabinet for storage when not in use. The picture and the link aren't the ones we bought, but similar to what we found.

Fleece Pajamas
It’s still pretty warm here during the day, but it dips down pretty cold during the night. I thought Ellie’s pjs alone would be fine, but one night she kept waking up and I noticed that her ears were cold and so were her feet (even though her feet are covered) so I picked up some fleece pajamas for her and I’ve noticed she’s slept better and longer in them now that she’s warmer.

Palmolive Pure and Clear Dish Soap
Since I was pregnant, we started switching over all of our products to safer ones. We started with our laundry detergent and then to this dish soap and I love this soap! It smells great and we use it for all our dishes and her Ellie's bottles and my pump items.

Bright Starts Grab and Stack Blocks
I think these are Ellie's favorite toy right now (the activity balls are a close second!). Two of the blocks jingle and the other two have that plastic scratch stuff and she loves all the details on each side and knocking them over after I stack them for her.

Baby Einstein Roller-Pillar Activity Balls
These balls are great for her motor skills and each one offers a different stimulation. When they roll away from her she reaches to far to get it, it will be so much fun when she starts crawling and gets after them.

Munchkin Fun Ice® Chewy Teether
This are such a blessing. When I can tell Ellie's gums are bothering her, I just hand her one of these teethers and she is so relieved to be chewing on them. They're cold and easy for her to hold herself and gnaw for a few minutes.