Baby gear. It can be a daunting world. The first time I stepped into Buy Buy Baby I came thisclose to ralphing (pregnancy hormones I'm sure not helping my cause). Aisles upon aisles dedicated to wee ones. How can such small being require so.much.STUFF?! It's certainly overwhelming at first. In a bewildered state I looked around for about five minutes and left with a headache and a weak stomach. I didn't return until I had done more research, and had the aid of some vets (my mom & sister). I really appreciated listmania on Amazon, where moms list and recommend their favorite products, but being these are totally random people with different geography, living situations, and preferences some were obviously more helpful than others. For the most part I've been happy with my choices but figured maybe a blog post would be helpful to somebody out there. (I do have a new friend on FB with a pregnancy announcement daily it seems, which I always LOVE reading :) Anyway, so here we go. My top 15 list, counting down my way to my #1 most favorite, most used, most worthy product!
#15. LaMaze critters-
From the time G was born he has loved these!! We have both Mortimer the Moose and Jacques the Peacock, I think he prefers Mortimer. I hung the peacock from his stroller bassinet and it was the first real toy that ever caught his interest. Early on when he started smiling one day in the mall I looked down at him and realized he was cheesing out smiling at the Peacock! It was so cute, and so fun to see him begin to notice his environment. Now that he's older he loves to chew on the antlers or the feathers in Jacque's case. They make good crinkly noises and squeak too. The hooves on the moose are the perfect size to fit in his mouth. My two year old nephew still likes to look at this toy too, so they are definitely toys that will grow with your child!
#14. Baby Einstein bendy ball or Oball-
I have one of these balls on hands at all times. They are a must! It's nice to have a backup too when they get into the throwing stage ;) This ball will literally stop G mid-cry. He adores it. Shaking it, throwing it, eating it, when he was a newborn would stop crying when I rattled it around in front of his face. Love this thing.
#13. Fisher Price Seahorse-
This cute little seahorse has been great, it plays relaxing classical music with ocean sounds in between songs and lights up like a glow worm. It soothes G back to sleep in the middle of the night when he wakes up and best part is it plays for about 5 minutes, which is long compared to others. We use it quite a bit and have only had to replace the batteries once so far.
#12- Natural baby orajel-
Avoid the original orajel which contains benzocaine as it has been
linked with serious adverse effects. The natural kind contains clove oil and works great. I tried it on myself and was surprised by how long it kept me numb for! Don't overdose the natural kind thinking it might be less effective ;) I use just a small amount and it has taken Grey from a full fledged scream to sleeping peacefully within about 2 minutes, I kid you not. The stuff works. *Side note, if your 4 month old (or around there) begins waking up multiple times a night for no apparent reason, crying very hard, try some orajel. Even if you can't see any evidence of teeth, and they've been slobbery chewing on everything for months- they may be working on some teeth that are waking them!*
#11- Medela Breast Pump-
I have the Freestyle, I love it. You can get good discounts often so hold out for one. I got mine for $100 when Target discontinued carrying this model. I've also heard good things about the Pump in Style. If you are serious about breastfeeding, and plan on having a life, a great breast pump is clutch. Trust me on this. You don't want to spend all day pumping. If you are a working mama this is an indispensable purchase. Buy a brand who focuses on selling pumps. Buy a reputable model. I've had no problems with mine and am so thankful to have had hassle free pumping from the get-go. *Also, another side note- those first few days when your milk comes in, really work on pumping a great stash to freeze. You will probably never be able to get that much milk to freeze again. I know at this point you are exhausted and busy, but make time for it. You will be so thankful that you did later on when you have a stash to rely on!*
#10- Baby Swing-
This is the swing (Fisher Price space saver) I got, I have no particular adoration for this swing in particular but it's gotten the job done. I wanted one that was portable and didn't take up much space since we live in a small 2 BR condo right now. I also wanted one that was cheap having no idea if my baby would even like a swing (not all do, for others it's pure sleep magic). I've definitely gotten my money's worth out of this one, and Grey has liked it more and more the bigger he's gotten. When he was tiny he really just wanted to be in my arms and had limited tolerance even for the cozier swings he tried out at friend's houses. Maybe I'll get a fancy schmancy one for baby #2 (sorry Greyson! ha). Regardless, every mom needs to give the swing a try even if you just borrow one at first incase your baby does love it.
#9- Changing Table-
I almost didn't get one, because like I said we're limited on space and it was one of those things that you read is unnecessary to buy. However, I have loved having ours. I use it with almost every change and have definitely gotten my $$$ worth out of it. Especially right after you have the baby and it is uncomfortable to bend over. I was so thankful to have a changing table. I would definitely buy this again.
#8- Baby Einstein Take Along Tunes-
Love.This.Toy. Seriously. It's a Godsend, dramatic-yes. True-YES! I can't say enough about this thing. In the early days I would hold this thing an inch in front of G's face and it would mesmerize him into sleep. It keeps him occupied on car trips. He went through a "I'm going to scream whenever you put me in my carseat" phase, and this single handedly saved my sanity. Get it. You can thank me later.
#7- Summer Organic Swaddle-
In our house we believe in buying organic, if there's an organic option- that's what we'll spend our money on. But that's a long post for another day in and of itself. Granted this is the only swaddle we've tried, but it's worked great so I've had no need to try other brands/types, I know there's a million out there. It keeps them from waking themselves up. I also highly recommend
this book, while we're on the swaddle subject. Anyway, I'm not ashamed to admit Greyson is 5 months, and still swaddled nightly. It works for us. And helps us ALL sleep. I've found you have to do what works for your baby and don't by into the hype of what you "should" be doing, and when. Every baby is their own individual!
#6- Jumperoo-
Based upon reviews, I originally wanted the FP Rainforest jumperoo, however I found this one on sale at BRU for $50 so Baby Einstein it was ;) G loves it, no complaints. Jumperoo is a must-have! We started putting him in it at about 18 weeks and he enjoyed the toys then. He's just now at 22 weeks beginning to really get the hang of jumping in it and is close to touching the floor without a pillow underneath :)
#5- Bouncy-
I don't know that brand or type matters much-- just get one with a vibration mode and toys hanging and you're golden. The vibrations puts G to sleep and he likes the toys. I put him in it while I take a shower so I can keep an eye on him while I'm in there, works like a charm.
#4- California Baby Products-
This calendula cream is AMAZING. Forget the Desitin, forget the Boudreaux, buy some of this stuff. It's a magical cure-all elixir (again with the drama!). It will make teething rashes, diaper rashes, and from what I read- eczema- disappear overnight- it will also make your adorable baby even MORE ridiculously good looking ;) Case in point- when G was a couple months old I ate something spicy (lesson learned there) and it lit poor little G's heiny up!! After one poop the next day his poor little butt was fire engine red and chapped and he cried when I wiped him :'( needless to say I felt awful. I remembered reading glowing reviews on this stuff and even though it's not marketed as a diaper cream specifically decided to try it. (I already loved CA baby line, used their other lotion and body wash). As quickly as it appeared, overnight with this stuff on- and his rash was GONE! Chris and I could barely believe our eyes the next morning. It is definitely pricey but it works SO MUCH BETTER than any of the other ointments I tried. Plus it lasts forever. I also put it in his chubby neck fold that likes to collect milk and get chapped (ew, haha). It works great. Whatever you do, do not support
Johnson & Johnson. Although they are "committed to fixing the problem", word on the street is they've known for a long time the dangers of this and weren't concerned enough to fix it until there was a public outcry recently. I don't know about you, but this is not a company I'm interested in supporting with my money. Buy whatever CA baby products you can, the whole line, if you will. It's worth it. Prioritize what you put on your baby's skin and invest in their health. This is a quality brand and you get what you pay for. It's pricey but it lasts a long time.
#3- Ergo Baby Carrier-
Julia Roberts using Ergo :) I have it in blue. I love it. I got a great deal on mine on
Zulily, an amazing website for all mamas! After doing much research, I chose the Ergo based upon comfort reviews and my bad back and haven't looked back. It's super comfy for both baby and mama! Grey sleeps like a rock in it and it is not too hard on my back even carrying super-chunk around! I can't recommend this carrier enough.
#2- Uppababy Vista-
My one big baby splurge? My Uppababy Vista stroller. I.LOVE.this.stroller. I wanted a quality stroller that was going to grow with our family and after reading
reviews ad nauseum, including this must-read book, I settled on this stroller. You can find it on sale, I got a great discount on ours on Albeebaby.com. Also Zulily just ran a great deal on them. Anyway, I just figured that because this is a product that I am going to be using for years to come, with multiple children, I wanted a quality product. Chris calls it the "dyson of strollers" if that tells you anything ;) It's not a product that you will ever regret forking over the cash for. It is easy to fold and get in and out of my car. It steers great. The bassinet is a wonderful addition when your baby is small. The toddler seat faces forward or backward and holds up to 50 lbs. You can fit THREE kids on this baby with the rumble seat (pictured) and the piggy back board for older children. The basket is HUGE! Awesome for shopping. Drawbacks? the back wheel width is a little wide and there's no cup holder. You have to buy the snack tray separately as well as the carseat adapter. Otherwise, everything you need is included. Can't recommend this stroller highly enough. Every time I (frequently) get stopped and questioned on it, I tell parents as much!
#1- Drumroll Please...... Aden and Anais Blankets.
Blankets? Seriously? As my number 1?! Yep. Words cannot express my undying affection for these simple looking blankies. I have an illness, it's called blankie addiction. I absolutely cannot have too many of these. I have a collection going on. The ones Target carries, the more large expensive variety, the organic ones, and even the bamboo ones. They all have their unique purposes. Target ones for diaper changes and burp cloths, bamboo and organic ones for tummy time swaddling, and keeping warm in the carseat. These are my number one because this is the one product that I seriously could not count how many times a day I use. They are breathable, yet keep baby warm when overlapped. They are stretchy and make a great swaddle when traveling or if baby is in a sleep sack but you want to restrain their arms. They are absorbent and make a great burp cloth or wipe for spit up, or even a shield when changing the diaper if you have a boy, lol. I carry two in my diaper bag and have one in my glove box at all times, seriously. I'm obsessed. I admit it. I could go on and on, but I'll spare you. Put several sets of these on your registry and you won't regret it, I promise.
*OH and last thing- skip the nursing cover and just throw this over your shoulder while baby nurses. So much easier and more breathable/less hot for baby. Plus babes loooove staring at the cute animals on them, G smiles at them all the time :) so cute.*
Finally- this is a very personal choice, but my favorite diapers are these.
This is what has worked best for us, they don't leak and less blowouts that we had with the 7th gen diapers. I also think they work better than both Pampers and Huggies, personally. They do run a bit smaller than most other brands. I'm not patient or dedicated enough for cloth diapering but these are a more natural, healthy option. A little more pricey, but
healthier. The posted link isn't highly scientific and to be honest I didn't explore it's references, but I can tell you that I do not care for my baby to wear chlorine bleached diapers on his heiny all day long. Only the best for my baby's bum.
Wipes= Seventh Generation
Durable, and chlorine free. I buy them in bulk from Amazon. Super happy with them.
Phew. If you made it through all that, you deserve a-
I hope this is helpful to someone out there. :)
But there you have it, in my immense (5 mos ;) amounts of experience, these are my favorite things!
I then put the chicken, mushrooms, and marinade dressing back in the fridge to 
I put the chicken and veggies in the oven on 425 for 25 minutes, then flipped up to broil for about 3 more minutes to give it a little extra crunch. It was the perfect time, the chicken was moist (sorry, I hate the word too, but it was) and cooked to perfection.
