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?

Ellie's Christmas Wishlist

Christmas is one of my favorite times of the year (just like everyone else in the world) and it’s so much better now that I have a child to share it with. All of the holidays are better with children. Seeing the magic through their eyes, the wonder, it fills the season with more joy. We’ll be heading off to see Santa this week and here are some items on her wishlist:

Frozen Toddler Anna & Elsa Dolls // Frozen Slippers // Etch a Sketch // Disney Dolls // Gumball Machine // Housekeeping Set // Color Wonder Markers and Pages // Chunky Puzzles

Last year we had a great visit with Santa, she just stared at him and was so curious. This year I think it’s going to be a scream and run type of stranger danger situation. Wish us luck! What’s on your little one’s list this year? 

Our Favorite Toys

With Christmas just around the corner and Black Friday just a few days away, I thought today would be the perfect time to post Ellie's favorite toys over these past (almost) 18 months. I've included toys that had the most use and would make great gifts for any littles you're buying for. Some ages are harder to buy for than others and I thought I'd give my take on what has been played with the most. Some of these gifts were bought for us and I'm so happy we were gifted them because they have been so much fun!

Learning Sit to Stand Walker  // Glow Worm Lullaby Doll //  Mega Bloks Building Bag //Block Sorter

Books // My Pal Violet // Ring Stacker (the old school plastic one is great too!)    

Soft Blocks // Play Tent 

What toys does your family/littles enjoy the most? Please share!

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: 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?

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: 4 Months

Each month is more fun the previous one, and this one has been the best (which I’m sure next month will be even better)! Ellie has so much personality and it’s really showing each day. Every day she is growing and learning so much. I love playing with her, seeing her reactions as we interact, and watching her learn and explore. Having a child is the most amazing experience. Before Ellie was born, I had posted once that one of the things I look forward to as a parent is seeing the world through her eyes for the first time. I can’t wait for the future years with believing in Santa, magic, the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy, etc. I’ve been dying to decorate for Christmas, but I’m refraining until after Halloween. I’m not kidding- we might have our Christmas tree up before Thanksgiving!

Isn't it crazy how much a baby can change in just four weeks? I'm going to have to get a larger blanket for the pictures, she barely fits on the ones I have now! I'll definitely have to get larger white onesies...

This month we didn’t have that many new things that we’re not still using from last month or the month before like her O’Ball, playmat, or swing. I’m assuming that some months we’ll only have a few items different than the month previously and my wallet and I are both thankful for that. So here are the newbies or items we’ve used before, but weren’t dubbed a “must-have” since they may not have gotten as much use as before.

Little Giraffe Lovie Blanket
At my shower, I was gifted several of these little “lovie” blankets and to be honest I didn’t get it. What is a mini blanket for a baby for? They were cute and I thought they would be great for her dolls when she gets older, but now I totally get it. Babies love the textures of the blanket- silky on one side, soft and fluffy on the other. Many babies find comfort in them, touching them with their hands or rubbing the fabric against their cheeks. Ellie really likes her in the morning on the way to daycare or while we’re on a walk. She always gives a big grin when I give it to her and immediately starts rubbing her hands on the materials and bringing them up to her mouth.

Sophie the Giraffe
All my mommy friends and bloggers all said that Sophie was a must-have and they were right! It’s my husband’s favorite toy of hers too and we bought a little book that goes about Sophie’s busy day. She’s all natural (made with natural rubber, food paint, and is BPA free), offers several occupational features such as the texture, scent, and sound and is great for their chubby hands and teething gums. Ellie absolutely loves her Sophie and we use it daily with her while she plays.

Fisher Price Diamond Ring Rattle
Elli has become so alert and curious! I love playing with different toys as she learns about cause and effect with sounds (Sophie teaches that too since she squeeks). This rattle is one of our favorites because of the bright colors and soft yet sturdy handle. Another favorite rattle is her O’Ball, which is a total must-have for every child and was included in a previous must-have post.

Nuby Ice Gel Teether Keys
I love teethers that have the soft gel feature, they don’t get too cold for their gums and the bright colors this set offers is a lot of fun. We use the Bright Starts Lots of Links to hang them from her bouncer and she loves playing with them, gumming them, and feeling the different textures with her fingers.

Board Books: First 100 Words, Goodnight Moon, and Sophie’s Busy Day
Ellie is fascinated by books. We read to her every day, sometimes both the morning and night and not just after work. She loves books with bright colors and touches all the pages and tries to grab the images of the book. I love reading to her, it’s one of my favorite parts of our day. Sometimes she “holds” the book and tries to turn the page and my heart just dies. I know she doesn’t have the motor skills to do either, but I love when her hands happen to go that way on the edges.

Fisher-Price My Little Snugabunny Bouncer
We’ve used this since day one, but in the last month or so it’s getting some good use. I love to hold/wear Ellie as often as I can, but sometimes it’s just not feasible. Plus, I like for her to be able to explore and move around on her own. When I’m folding laundry, cooking, or cleaning, Ellie loves to sit in her bouncer and watch me move around. Then I just talk to her about our days, sing and dance, or just explain what I’m doing to her. She can last for so long without getting fussy and bored. We also use the Bright Starts Lots of Links to attach some toys from the top to entertain her as well. I love this bouncer, especially since it keeps her at a nice incline, it’s fun to face her and play together.

 

Baby Must Haves: 3 Months

Month 3 has been so much fun!! Ellie is so alert and loves to look at everything around her. She’s rolled over from her back to her belly a few times all on her own, she loves chewing and sucking on her hands, being sung to, she loves to "talk", and she laughs and smiles all day. Her personality is really showing and I love seeing it develop each day. I try to look at the different cues and predict what type of a child and person she will be, what traits and such she’ll have. She’s also gotten really chunky, and I just love her little ham hock thighs! She's getting all breast milk now, we haven't had to supplement in a few weeks- which I'm just stoked about. I'll definitely be sharing more of our breastfeeding journey soon.

We’ve started a routine of Eat- Play- Sleep that my big sis told me about and it has really worked well for us. Before we were all willy nilly about naps and eating and we were both getting frustrated and overtired. I had tried doing this routine before, but I don’t think we were ready for it. I started it this past month and it worked like a charm!! Before, Ellie was never really napping during the day and now she takes 2-3 naps. I do feed her whenever she’s hungry and let her sleep if she’s tired, even if it doesn’t follow the E.S.P pattern, but she mostly follows the pattern all on her own. It’s easier for me to work my day around her schedule now that I know what to expect and it’s easier for her now that she has a good routine.

I started back to work on the 21st and Ellie started daycare last week. I cried my eyes out leading up to the days, but surprisingly it's been a somewhat easy transition. I think getting all my emotions out ahead of time really helped prepare myself. Also, having such an awesome daycare really eases me knowing how well Ellie is taken care of. She never cries when I drop her off or when we pick her up, so I know she enjoys going. It's definitely what's best for our family now. Thank you to everyone for all your sweet words of encouragement and tips for daycare and returning to work. 

Cotton Snap-Up Sleep & Play Pajamas
Now, after talking to other mommies, I may be the only one who prefers snap pajamas to zip ones. Here’s my reason: with buttons, I can unsnap just Ellie’s bottom half and not have to unzip her chest and bottom in order to change her diaper. I prefer keeping her comfortable and warm when changing her. She sleeps through the night, so I don’t have to fumble in my sleep to with the buttons, but even when she was waking up, I still preferred snap PJs.

Baby K'Tan Baby Carrier
I’m obsessed with this carrier. It makes life so easy and Ellie enjoys being wrapped up in it. I’m very interested in baby wearing and have bought 4 (!!!) carriers before finding this gem. It’s super easy to use and can be used for a few years before Ellie will out grow it. The Moby Wrap has to be the biggest let down of baby stuff I bought, it’s like rocket science trying to figure that thing out- even after watching a ton of YouTube videos! The K’Tan is a much simpler way to wear your baby with the same advantages as the Moby. Every momma needs this!

Infantino Twist and Fold Activity Gym
Ellie loves her play mat! This mat has extra loops to dangle the toys at different heights or to add on more toys using the Bright Starts Lots of Links. We seriously use this mat every single day several (hundred) times. We’re constantly changing out the toys and putting them at different heights so she doesn’t get bored. One aspect that I like about this mat is that it collapses and the matt rolls into itself for easy storage.

31 Bag
I was gifted the cutest navy and white striped bag with a hot pink monogram at my baby shower for Ellie. It’s nice having a large bag with pockets to tote around extras we may need for her. It’s come especially in handy now that we have started day care- I use it to bring her milk/cooler, extra outfits, and her favorite toys each day. An extra bag outside of your diaper bag is a must have, even just to keep in your car with extra diapers and wipes. Any bag would do, but I love these 31 Bags and how you can personalize them, plus they come in a wide variety of sizes and shapes. They have several styles that would make for great diaper bags too.

Oball
Hands-down this is Ellie’s favorite toy. The balls are available in different shapes (like a football) and with or without the rattles. We have one of each and Eleanor prefers the rattle one. This toy is also a great occupational therapy toy since it stimulates several of your baby’s senses.

Bright Starts Lots of Links
When I first got these links, I didn’t really understand how to use them except to just link them to each other in a chain. I couldn’t help but think about what a boring toy that is for a child. Then it dawned on me to use them with her other toys and that’s part of the point of them. Duh. Blame it on the bleach sister. I like these links too for the fun colors and the different patterns on their sides to also help with sensory.

Crane Cool Mist Drop Shape Humidifier
Ellie has had a stuffy nose recently so we started sleeping with a humidifier at night. This is a cool mist which is neat, I remember how steamy and hot my family one was growing up. This humidifier also doesn’t use a filter- you just filler her up and turn her on. Ellie now no longer snores while she sleeps and is hardly stuffy at all during the day. Plus, my husband and I both have noticed how much more moisturized our skin has become since using it.

Sassy Inspire Vision Crib and Floor Mirror
Mirrors are like baby crack. Ellie loves looking at herself in the mirror and seeing the light reflect in it. Her playmat has a mirror attachment, but this mirror is much bigger and can be propped up by itself and has two loops to attach it elsewhere.

 

If you have any pregnancy or post-partum questions for me, feel free to ask in this post and I'll be sharing my answer in a future post.

Baby Must-Haves: 2 Months

There hasn't been too many new things that we needed this month that we haven't used in the past or items we needed before and aren't using now. I'll definitely be keeping you updated as things change. This last month we went on vacation to the river so we had to get some swim stuff that's on here that we'll be using the rest of the summer. Since we're going into month 3 right now, there's lots of new items for the next post!

I love posts like these on other blogs, it's great seeing what works for other mommies and their babies. I swear there's new products out on a daily basis. I'm also a part of a mother's group on Facebook that's really nice to ask questions and get advice. Motherhood is not for the weak hearted I tell you!

OxiClean Max Force Gel Stick: I absolutely love this stain remover. At the very beginning I was using only Dreft stain remover and it didn't do a thing for us. All the pieces that got soiled stained and Ellie didn't get to wear them again. After ruining one outfit, I started using the OxiClean and not a single piece has been ruined! Even a white pj that experienced our worst blow out yet. It's a Holy Grail product for us and it doesn't bother Ellie's skin whatsoever.

Fisher-Price My Little Snugabunny Cradle Swing: If you remember, our first week home Ellie would sometimes sleep in her swing which finally gave my arms a break. Well, after those first two weeks, she didn't really care for it much. Now, she absolutely loves it! Sometimes when I need her to nap and she's being fussy, I can put her in the swing and she'll be out cold within 10 minutes. Other times, she just loves the motion and laughs looking at the mirror part of the mobile. It's sometimes the only time I can get anything done around the house, I love this swing!

sootheTimesack: Babies love being swaddled and swaddling Ellie was sometimes our only saving grace when she's been fussy (it's even included in my Baby Must Haves for the first week). After the first couple of weeks though she hated having her arms swaddled so we started leaving them out. Most pediatricians recommend to swaddle your child from the armpit down and leave their arms out at two months, but we were doing that weeks ago. When we swaddled her she loved it and then would fuss and fuss because her arms were inside and once we re-swaddled them so they'd be free, she'd be just fine. After a while we didn't swaddle at all and didn't have the need to. Then, one night she was so tired, but was really fighting going to sleep so we swaddled her again and she was out. However, Ellie is really long and her feet were already at the swaddles edge and it was below her arms! The next day I went on the hunt for a good sleep sack that was sleeveless and easy for her to wear. The inside of these sacks have a swaddle for her chest, it zips from top to bottom so it's easy to change her because you can unzip just the bottom and not have to take it completely off, and the sides are mesh for easy breathing for her little legs. I love that she can wear this around her shoulders and it's not just wrapped around her where she could wriggle free (not that she has, but I imagine she could). I definitely want to get some more of these!

Charlie Banana Reusable Swim Diaper: In the last two weekends, we've taken Ellie into the water with us and these swim diapers are amazing! My SIL turned me onto them and they are so easy. I will never use a disposable swim diaper. Ever. Buy these ladies! I picked up two of them, and when your child soils one of them, just take it off to put the 2nd one on, and simply rinse off the soiled one. You could totally just use one, but having two of them made it so much easier and your little one doesn't have to wait naked for you to rinse out their number 2s.

Circo® Infant Girls' Rashguard: Since we were outside, I wanted to make sure to protect her from the sun as much as possible. Our ped had said not to use sunscreen yet, so I bought this long sleeve rashguard to protect her. It worked perfect!

Koala Baby Girls' Swim Hat: I love these swim hats because they dry so quickly and are the perfect protection for Ellie's face and head from the sun. Plus she looks adorable in it!

*Just as a disclaimer, we talked to our ped about putting Ellie in a pool beforehand to talk with her about what's best to protect her. We also didn't have her in the pool or sun for very long.*

Carter's Muslin Butterfly Receiving Blanket: Swaddling blankets were included in my first must-haves and they still are! We use these all the time, they're so light weight, they are perfect for summer time and the cranked AC. These Carter ones are really big and offers lots of ways to wrap up your little ones.

Pandora's Rockabye Baby Station: My sorority big sis told me about this station and it's awesome! We listen to it all the time. I love the variety of music it gives, Journey, Adele, Kanye, Metallica, it's all my favorite songs in lullabies for Ellie to love.There's no words, just the music and some added birds, frogs, and other nature sounds. Ellie really enjoys it and so do I!

Baby Must-Haves: 1 Month

One month flew right by! I can't believe that we're almost at 7 weeks already! I did a post for must-haves for the first week home here and thought it would be good to do it monthly (as well as show off some pics of Ellie! I'm taking pics of her with the bunny each month to show as a comparison in her growth). Here are some items I found to be so useful this past month and items I had to run and by a double of because we use them so much. Sometimes it's so nice and convenient to have doubles so you can wash one while using the 2nd. It makes life so much easier! I'm happy we only have one floor otherwise I'd buy more doubles to keep from going up and down stairs so much.

2 packs of Changing Table Liners: I love these because they have a plastic backing to they don't leak through to the changing table cover. I thought one 3 pack would be enough, but after some blow outs, I was running through the wash with them really quickly so I bought a second pack.

A 2nd Changing Pad Cover: I like having two so one can be in the wash while the other is on our pad. I have a solid lilac one and a pink/white polka dot one.

A 2nd Nursing Cover: I love having two covers! I keep one in my diaper bag for outings, and one at home for when we have visitors. It's so nice to not have to pack and unpack it from our diaper bag now.

 A 2nd Boppy Cover: We use our Boppy everyday all the time and bring it with us almost everywhere we go. With so much use, our covers gets dirty somewhat quickly, and just like the changing pad cover, I like being able to have it covered all the time while one cover is in the wash.

Bright Starts Chime for the car seat: Ellie is  beginning to interact and see more now and loves her butterfly chime on her car seat. The sound I think is soothing and fun for her while the bright colors catch her eyes.

Traveling Sound Machine: We keep this giraffe strapped to her car seat 24/7 and Ellie absolutely loves it! It helps block outside sounds when we're out and about keeping her asleep or just content. We use this every single day, it's awesome!

The First Years Sound Machine: When Eleanor is really upset and fussy, I turn this on and rock her in our rocking chair and it calms her down every time. It's the only time we really use this sound machine, but we may use it more once we move her to her crib.

Rock 'N Play Sleeper: Ellie sleeps in this every night in our room and we take it with us to Nana & Papa's too for naps. It's inclined for her head, folds up nice, and is light weight.

Arm & Hammer Diaper Bag Dispenser: One of my girlfriends gave this to me at my shower and said it was a life saver and she wasn't kidding! The bags are scented, eliminates odor, and are super convenient when you're out and have a dirty diaper that needs to be thrown out or soiled clothes that need to be washed when you're back home. I've had 5 dirty diapers in a bag and you couldn't smell a thing and nothing leaked. These are amazing!

A black and white Nursing Tank: These tanks are so easy to wear and provide good breast support. I wear these tanks under my regular shirt all the time. When I have to nurse outside of my home it's nice having my body still covered by these tanks even though my outside shirt is lifted up.

What are your baby must-haves? What did you find that your baby enjoyed or made life easier for you? Do you have any of these items, how did they work for you?

This is my first link-up with Kristin from Busy Bee for Baby Talk and I'm really excited to join in. If you have a baby-related post for Tuesdays, be sure to link up!