I have been meaning to write this post for a while now, but breaking down all of our favorites over the past 8 months has proven to be harder than expected. While not all of these baby goods will be favorites to everyone, these are the items both Adelie and I have really enjoyed. Some were amazing for only the first few months, some we still use/play with on a daily basis. When it comes time for Baby #2 it'll be fun to see if these favorites hold up!
Essentials
one: Aquaphor for diaper rash. We hated the way Desitin smelled, and butt paste stained anything it touched. two: Nothing smells better than J&J lotion. three: These were a savior when it came to teething. Just two little dissolving tablets under her tongue, and all was right again in the world. four: We received the whole California baby set as a shower gift and fell in love! It's a little pricey but I just love how it makes Adelie's skin feel, plus it's all natural! win win
Feeding
one: As we have started eating solids, we prefer the baby spoons with a deeper scoop. The food doesn't fall off as easily and it makes mealtime less messy. two: Avent Bottles were the only bottles we tried and we loved them, so we stuck with them! They don't leak and have the perfect indent for little hands to grasp it.three: These mash tethers double as both an excellent teether (frozen bananas are great) and an awesome way to introduce solids without fear of choking. four: Tommee Tippee bibs were our favorite when she was itty bitty! They have a foam ring that hugs under the chin to prevent milk drainage on clothes.
Baby Gear
one: I really wanted a play pen with big windows and something that wouldn't be an eye sore. Reality, she slept in the raised part next to our bed for the first month but since, we're only used it as a second crib when liam needed a nap. We'll probably use it more once she becomes more mobile, but up until now, it hasn't seen much use. two: We have the grace table fit highchair and love it! She actually spends a fair amount of time in it with toys while i cook/clean. It has wheels so I move it all over the place on our hard wood floor. three: We opted for the city mini stroller and I have minimal complaints. It is super easy to maneuver and is so compact! Downfalls is, no cup holder for mom and a small storage basket that I have to shove my diaper bag into. four: We have the chicco key fit carseat and love it! The material is very easy to clean and we will definitely be using it for baby #2.
Bed
one: We love this seahorse so much, she has two! It's the perfect nightlight/soothing music to put Ads to sleep. two: Aiden and Anais swaddles were our favorite blankets the first four months of her life. Since she is long, the extra material allowed us to wrap her more securely. While we didn't swaddle her, they were the perfect blanket material for a summer baby. three: Once it started getting cold, we turned to the fleece carters blankets. We have so many of these! They are perfect carseat blankets too. Adelie has one in her crib, carseat and every other room she may pass out for a nap in. four: The monitor we decided on was the Motorola video monitor. My only problem with this type, is I feel the battery dies fairly quick. We keep ours on the charger to avoid this.
Baby Soothers
one:Snugabunny bouncer. This was great for months 2-4. It is too high arched for a newborn once she was strong enough she started trying to sit up in it. We used ours for bottle feedings and to keep her occupied while we ate dinner. two: Snugabunny swing was our most used item on this entire list. For the first six months of her life, she slept beside our bed in this swing. She napped in this swing too. Once she fell asleep I would turn it down to the lowest setting. I hauled this swing upstairs and downstairs everyday because it was her favorite place to be!
Toys
one:All of the lamaze toys are amazing. Adelie has several of them and they are hooked to her carseat/highchair/jumperoo. Lot's of colors and crinkly material to keep them entertained for hours. two: This simple hole-y ball has become a fast favorite. It rattles and her small fingers can grasp it with ease. I wish we had found it sooner! three: This might possibly be the best toy thus far. As soon as she wanted to stand, this became her go to entertainment. I switch up what toys hang from the sides so there are constantly new things to look at. four: This sassy baby toy (same company she modeled for) is our new obsession! It's normally suctioned on her high chair but last night we took it in the bath! So fun!
Diapering
one: We are currently loving Luvs. (She was in pampers swaddlers size Newborn to size 2.) We rarely have leaks and they block odor extremely well. two: We've tried all other wipes and prefer pampers as they are easy to grab (huggies stick together) and clean really well. three: She was in these until size 2 and then all of a sudden they didn't absorb so well. She was leaking through almost every night even when going up an additional size. They were our favorite "baby" diaper though! four: I had heard so many contradicting things about a diaper genie, but we love ours! It is so nice to toss a smelly in there and forget about it! The refills are sorta pricey but I buy the three pack once every few months, so it's not too bad.
Diaperbag
one: Mam pacifiers are the ones Adelie chose to love, and she's had one attached to her outfit since day one. Pacifier strings are the best invention ever! We always carry a handful of extras around in the diaper bag. two: Sassy baby rings. We have about five sets and they are used to connect/hold toys on just about everything! Carseat/highchair/jumperoo. We carry around a chain in our diaper bag so we can attached toys to a high chair when we're out to eat (so they don't hit the floor). three: Sophie giraffe is an instant pacifier. She is so happy to chew on her feet and just stare at her. Definitely worth the $18+. four: I have been so incredibly happy with my Vera Bradley tote/diaper bag. It is still just as vibrant as I bought it and shows absolutely no wear. There are enough pockets to hold everything and its large enough to hold all vitals and so much more. Adelie loves it too ;)
Things we didn't use for long
one: The jungle mat. It was great for about 3 months and then it was old news and it's been tucked away in the closet ever since. Once she could roll over she wanted nothing to do with laying on her back. two: a baby carrier. We only used this a handful of times, (like travel/airports). We received a baby wrap for our shower gift and she never liked being in it. three: The bumbo was great for only a short period, and even though they tell you to buy the tray, its not necessary. It works their back muscles but for Adelie, she was hardly ever in hers. She preferred the highchair. four: The serenity star is a sound machine/clock that reads the room temp and lights up red white or blue depending on the degree. While great in theory, the songs it plays are extremely boring. If it wasn't such a cute addition to her room, I would have returned it since it was kind of pricey.
What are some of your favorites? We are always looking for new things to try! :)
