Bundles of Joy

I am creating this post because I would have loved to have had something to like this to reference when I was pregnant. Bear in mind, Elliott is my first and I am not at all versed on all products out there. Here are just a few things that have worked (very) well for me!:

1. Twelve Hours Sleep by Twelve Weeks Old by Suzy Giordano - literally the BEST gift we received!! Elliott was sleeping through the night (and by that I mean 12 hrs at night) by 3 months and hasn't stopped. It's great for the parents who would like to put their kids on a schedule - Mike and I were and remain to be extremely pleased! I wish I could hug this lady! :)
2. Dr Brown's bottles: These had been recommended to me by a couple different people before I had Elliott, but I tried Playtex Drop-Ins first. We weren't very excited about those, so decided to try Dr. Browns. It was love at first sip! These bottles are designed to minimize the amount of air that the baby swallows and it helps reduce colic. Mimics what it's like to drink from the breast (something to do with the vacuum created by the valve that's inside the bottle - I think?). I could go on - just trust me, they are great.
3. Lily Pads (Nursing Pads) - These are silicon nursing pads that stick in place without being "sticky". They are reusable (it's recommended to use Lily Wash with them) and can even be worn swimming. Now, I know what some of you are thinking - "she didn't breastfeed, so how would she know?" - but I enjoyed them while I was still able to and have another friend who loves them and is a super breastfeeding mama! :) She recommended them to me, and I think they are a great product! I got mine at Target and ordered Lily Wash off of the internet.
4. Lanolin Lotion: if you're pregnant during the winter, you'll need this even BEFORE the baby comes when the ladies already start to get chapped - and it will be a lifesaver during breastfeeding (can I get an amen, mamas?). You can pretty much find this anywhere - got mine at Walmart. It is kind of expensive - just a heads up!
5. Desatin Diaper Rash creme- NOT buttpaste!
6. Changing pad covers - I have 2 and that has worked for me so far. The one shown in the link is my favorite one - oh so soft!
7. Waterproof liners for the changing pad: I don't know what these are actually called, but I think I found them at Babie's R Us. They are these small waterproof pads that I use to protect my changing pad cover from getting wet every time I change Elliott's diaper. This isn't happening so much these days, but in the beginning, I was washing one of those at least every other day!
8. GroVia Diapers - AI2's with velcro, not snaps - I have included a link to Diaper Junction for a GroVia LIVE package. This is a pretty good deal. I know it seems like a lot of money up front, but it will be well worth it in the end - especially if you're planning on having more kids! I know cloth diapering isn't for everyone, but if you think you're up for it, it's worth the investment. Michael and I have both been very surprised at how easy it is to do cloth diapers. We started when Elle was 3 months old and haven't looked back! Diaper Junction has other packages (including a "trial" package that you can send back if you discover that you're not a cloth diapering person). These can also be purchased individually. These really do save money in the end, too - especially if you get them as gifts! Oh, and GroVia sells disposable inserts that you can use while you're on the go!
9. GroVia Natural Diaper Rash Stick - effective, natural...and smells YUMMY! You can't use regular diaper rash cream on cloth diapers - you gotta go with natural!
10. Rockin' Green Detergent and Funk Rock - Some of my cloth-diapering savvy mamas recommended these to me when I was researching cloth diapering. They have worked SO well for us - and Rockin' Green has several incredibly wonderful smelling detergents. All natural, so it won't bother a sensitive tooshie! Funk Rock is used to get the "funk" out...and that's all you need to know about that :) Ask me and I can give you more information ;)
11. Wet bag - you'll need something to put those cloth diapers into! I have a large one (featured in the link) that I keep in her room and have dreams of a smaller one to use while we're out.
12. Cloth diaper liners - A friend recommended these to me and now that Elliott has started on solid foods, I am SO thankful for the recommendation. She actually sent me a couple packs to try them out, and now I'm hooked!
13. Bouncy Seat - Suzy Giordano, the author of the book that I mention above, dislikes swings and the vibration setting on some baby toys except for use in extreme circumstances. Her idea is that a baby should be taught to self sooth from the very beginning - therefore, she loves bouncy seats because the baby is able to bounce it themselves. We have absolutely loved ours! This one is a super fancy model - shop around and find the one that fits your personality and budget! We went for a more expensive model from Walmart because it was comfy - we've never even installed the vibration setting.
14. Bassinet
15. Newborn Portable Rocker - we had something like this that we used while Elliott was in the living room with the family. Even though she was sleeping most of the time, we wanted her with us. It kept her secure as a floppy little newborn.This isn't exactly what we had, but it's the same idea. I'll be honest...I kinda want this for my next one! :) Here's another great option: Newborn Rock N' Play Sleeper
16. 2 bassinet sheets
17. 3-4 crib sheets
18. Basic 1 remote monitor - we were tempted by the ones with video screens, but have been very pleased with our basic monitor.
19. Travel Plush Sound Machine - the link I have used is for a Sheep plush sound machine, but they have a bunch of other stuffed animal options. We were given the Giraffe and are absolutely DEPENDENT on it. It's the travel kind (has a velcro loop on the back), so we can stick it on her carseat, stroller, whatever, and it helps her sleep. Suzy Giordano encourages the use of music toys to help the baby sleep, and we have found that it really works for Elliott!
20. Portable nightlight - I was looking for a nightlight and came across this adorable light blue rubbery bird that is also a portable led night light. It charges during the day, and at night you can move it anywhere in the room. I use it frequently for night time diaper changes, or for checking on the baby. The link I've included is the same idea, but it's a mushroom. It's the only link I could find that's even relatively close to what I have. I *think* that my little birdie is Circo - I got it at Target and it was like $16 - but well worth it!! Go, look for it, find it, and register for it. I think it was in the kid's decor section?
21. Car seat inserts (to keep the baby from flopping around in the carseat while its little)
22. Swaddlers (I would recommend a couple of each size - spit up and blow outs happen) - you'll want to register for small (I can't remember if they have a newborn size before the small size) and medium swaddlers. These guys look complicated, but they really aren't. Don't bother with the type of swaddlers that don't have velcro - the velcro is such a life saver at 4 am when all you want to do is go back to sleep! Depending on the time of year, you'll want to either get Fleece or Cotton. They also have this nifty Zippy Swaddler Pod that I so want for our next one! We also loved this type of swaddler as well HALO SleepSack Swaddler Wearable Blanket in Cotton (Fleece is also available) - this is the newborn type that has wings for swaddling.
23. Burp cloths (lots!)
24. Wearable blankets - you'll want to break these baby's out when you're no longer swaddling (We stopped swaddling around 4 months, I think?) They come in Small, Medium and Large and you'll want to register for them based on what time of year the baby will be wearing it. Wearable blankets are recommended to help prevent SIDS.
25. SOCKS - Most of the mamas I talk to say that the circo socks stay on the best - but beware - they ALL still fall off. I loved putting Elliott into the Trumpetoo Mary Jane and ballet socks!
26. Skip Hop Diaper bag - we've loved it. Never tried another type, but I have no complaints about this one! Nice and big and attaches to the stroller. Ours is very similar to the one in the link... a little cuter actually. Humph! Definitely something to register for or buy with a gift card.
27. Pack n Play - This is the one that Mike and I received as a VERY generous gift from Mike's aunt. I had no idea what to look for in a Pack N Play and this one had all the bells and whistles. We ended up not using the bassinet portion at all. The changing attachment we HAVE used and it has come in handy, but it's definitely not a necessity. It also takes up a lot of room in the car as it is packed separately from the Pack n Play itself. The Pack n Play itself is GREAT! Extremely easy to put up and take down. I would say that if you want to ask for someone to put this much money into a Pack N Play, go for it. But if you'd rather that money be spent somewhere else, go for one with fewer bells and whistles.
28. Sheets for the pack n play (I got mine at Target)
29. Stand alone jumper - wishing that I'd registered for one of these right now! We have one that hangs in a door way, but I think she'd enjoy this one a lot more.
30. Play mat/Activity Gym - there is a HUGE variety of these, so shop around :)
31. Small changing mat (travel) - Target has a variety of these in different designs and Arm and Hammer disposable trash bags (not necessary, but they sure are handy!). The disposable trash bags can be found separate from the mat shown in the link.
32. MAM pacifiers and BooginHead paci leash (or any other brand that will work on a MAM): I would register for the first size and IF your baby likes paci's, go back to buy the progressive sizes as the baby grows.
33. BIBS! Lots and lots of BIBS! - I have a lot of fabric bibs but hardly any "spill proof" ones...wishing I had registered for some of those!
34. Personal carrier of your choice: BabyBjorn, Ergo, Moby etc. I've heard GREAT things about Ergos!
35. First Year Calendar: love this - I keep one for Elliott. I saw some cute ones at Barnes and Nobles recently.
36. Clock for the baby's room: this was so awesome for us! I chose a simple digital one from Target - may not be the most attractive thing ever, but it sure is easy to read in the middle of the night when your eyes are blurry.
37. Food processor (doesn't have to be big or expensive. I have a Hamilton Mill one that was around $50 and a smallish Cuisinart food processor)
38. Baby bowls/cups/utensils (didn't register for these and now I'm regretting it)
39. Covered ice cube trays - for freezing portions of baby food. lots of different types/brands to choose from on Amazon. I haven't been able to find covered ones at WalMart
40. The Best Homemade Babyfood on the Planet Cookbook - I'm really enjoying these recipes and the information and tips in the book.
41. Cooking Light: First Foods - A friend of mine has this and I am so envious - gonna have to get it for myself now! Lots of great recipes and tips!
42. Caring for Your Baby and Child Birth to Age 5 - The American Academy of Pediatrics
43. Baby tub
44. Burts Bees Baby Wash (no sulfates, yay!) - we did research on Sodium Laureth Sulfate and have been convinced to rid ourselves of products that contain it. This Baby Wash is really nice - smells so good!
45. Bottle Brush
46. Aprica Travel Stroller - Story: Mike and I travel. Alot. More than we should. We live 2 hours from where we grew up and go back there frequently. During our 4th of July trip this year, we had decided that we'd buy a simple umbrella stroller once we got there (my big "SUV" Graco stroller was too big to bring with us). We spent $20 (thought that was a pretty good deal) and ended up using it *once*. The darn thing was so short that we were stooped over the whole time, and the stride was odd - causing us to kick the stroller every time we took a step. The angle of the seat was too steep for our 4 month old, so she wasn't riding comfortably, and it didn't have a canopy to protect her if it rained. It was slightly miserable pushing her around in that thing! The next day we went to Babie's R Us and saw these on sale (for about $80/90). Now, I know that sounds expensive, but it's really worth it. This travel stroller is SO compact it's ridiculous and it has a shoulder strap for carrying. It has a wide canopy (for a travel stroller), a little basket underneath, adjustable angles for sitting or laying down, cushioned seats, it's tall enough so that you don't have to stoop over when pushing (with cushy handles, I might add), designed so that you don't kick it every time you take a step AND (as if I needed to give you ANY more reason) it comes with a rain cover. This baby will work for your 3-4 month old baby and on - all the way up to 70 lbs!

Items I would not register for or buy again:

1. Crib bedding set - bumpers are now considered to be a SIDS risk, in case the baby rolls into it while they sleep. All you really need are sheets and wearable blankets. As the baby gets older, you can use regular blankets. Crib bedding set is definitely not something to put a lot of money into, if you ask me. Save the money for the big kid bedding down the road!
2. Clothes - seriously, people love to give clothes! :) You'll get plenty. And what you don't get, you can buy with the gift cards you get!
3. Blankets - same reasons as above. Unless you come across one that you absolutely LOVE (like I did)
4. Large Front facing mirror - We were so excited about this one. It's a HUGE mirror that you can put facing the baby in the backseat and it reflects into the rear view mirror. GREAT idea - but we found that when we used it in our Ford Escape on the middle head rest, we couldn't see the road behind us - it was just too large. I think they may sell smaller ones that may work, but we ended up having to take this down pretty soon after we put it up.
5. Towels and washcloths - we received a large amount of washcloths and towels. Definitely not something that we needed to register for as well :)
6. Bumbo and Bumbo Play Tray - I'm on the fence on this one. Elliott was too chubby for it by the time she could hold her head up and she never looked comfortable in it. I have seen it work GREAT for other kids!

Regarding registries:

When I was registering for Elliott, I wished that there was one place that I could go and put all of my registry items from different stores, rather than having to have multiple registries at multiple stores. Recently I heard about this website called MyRegistry.com. I haven't checked it out extensively, but for you expecting moms it might be a great site to look in to. You can include items from stores as well as items that you can only find online!

As a side note:

I was blessed with a lot of generous friends who have loaned me their baby equipment or given hand me downs. If you have good friends around who have already had babies, it might be worth asking them if you can borrow some items. Also, be on the look out on Craiglist and at garage sales or consignment shops. You can find GREAT deals there and can knock some of the pricier items (like Personal Carriers or Pack N Plays) off of your registry. We bought some of the bigger stuff (Crib, Glider, Changing table, Crib bedding) off of Craigslist so that we might get more of the smaller stuff off of our registries. We ended up spending less than $200 for all of the above mentioned items - all very high quality, matching, and well taken care of.

Elliott turns 5 months old!

Baby's ages before they turn 1 are confusing and I'm generally having a hard time keeping up with EXACTLY what week Elliott's on. My mother knows - she keeps up with it in her little purse calendar. However, what I do know is that August 25th was the 5 month anniversary of Elliott's birth - so we're going with 5 months old! :) (I think she's actually more like 5 1/2, but who's counting??)

She woke up with some pretty rad hair on the morning of her 5 month birthday. Don't worry - here are a few more pics (I wouldn't leave you out of this!)

Oh, and she has also FOUND HER TOES!

The pediatrician told us a month or so ago that we can start her on baby food. I was a little shocked, but apparently one of the prerequisites for starting baby food is doubling in birth weight. At 17.5 lbs, my daughter has FAR exceeded this goal (having started life at 7 lb 11 oz) - no failure to thrive here, people! :) Therefore, today we started her on some homemade rice cereal (recipe from The Best Homemade Baby Food on the Planet by Karen Knight and Tina Ruggiero). **On a side note, I'd also like to mention that I made a homemade oatmeal bath for Michael, who is currently suffering from a bad case of hives after an allergic reaction to some antibiotics. Homemade rice cereal AND oatmeal bath? All before 9:30 AM? Why yes, I AM that good. Oh yes - and Michael will be fine. Thank you for caring. :)**

Back to the rice cereal: I am very excited about this new stage of Elliott's life. However, I'm not sure that she is so excited about it. Let's just say that a lot of parental giggling followed several dramatic gag sessions from our little angel... All in all, though - I think she'll get it down eventually (get it?!?!).... ;)