create.live.design: baby stuff: the good

ive been meaning to write about this for awhile.

having gone through one baby, and now moving on to my second, i have to say i feel much more prepared and calm with this one {as would be expected}. 

i spent so much time troubling myself over things like "what is the best stroller????" "do i need to even register for a high chair right now??" "do babies really need all this stuff??" when i was pregnant with bennett.  i think i made some good decisions, and some not so good ones.  but its hard to blame a first time mom, so while i curse our high chair at every turn, i feel no need to place blame or feel bad for making {in my opinion} a bad call.

but im all about spreading the wealth and since i depended so heavily on friends and online reviews and such when making my baby gear decisions, for what its worth here are some things that in my opinion make the good, the bad, and the so-so list of baby-must-haves {and must-have-nots}.

the good:

1.  ultimate crib sheet - especially since i had a reflux baby, these came in extra useful when i needed to change the sheet but didnt want to go through all the trouble to untie and take off each individual bumper and then remove mattress to change the sheet.  bennett doesnt use them anymore but they were worth their weight in gold {and my sanity}

2.  boppy newborn lounger - another lifesaver.  bennett slept on this the first three months of his life and it was the perfect alternative to swaddling.  he did NOT like swaddling.  he always wanted his hands at his face and personally i think there is nothing sadder than a tiny little newborn bound tightly in a blanket and tossed in a big empty crib with lots-o-room to just...roll around.  poor things - they just look so...un-comforted and vulnerable.  call me crazy, but bottom line is this was great.  it also helped with his fussiness and kept his head up to counteract the reflux.

3.  mam pacifiers - move over nuk: these were the only ones that actually stayed in bennetts mouth while he was sleeping.  especially when bennett could roll over and sleep on his tummy, this was the only one that didnt have a handle or anything on it to catch on the sheet and fall out when he turned his head, saving his daddy and i trip after trip to go re-insert the paci.  not to mention it was the ONLY one bennett liked when he was old enough to be picky. :)

4.  britax marathon carseat - safety safety safety.  these rank as one of {if not THE} highest with consumer reports, it comes in an array of "finishes" {as this interior designer would say}, it looks the best, and it can be forward of backward facing {for those babies who grow out of the infant carseat but are still too little to face forward}. and perhaps for those who dont want to use infant carseats - but thats your call.

5.  born free bottles - i originally got these bc they were BPA free, right when all that BPA literature came out.  even though now i hear about how great dr browns is, i am a full fledged born-free supporter.  their intermediate cup also made it really easy for bennett to transition to the sippy cup {which for some can be a really hard transition!}.  he was a reflux baby and these vented wonderfully for him and he didnt seem to swallow much {if any} air.  i also just threw them in the dishwasher, as the hand washing got old - FAST.

6.  summer infant hand held monitor - i think ive talked about this thing ad-nauseum, but there is just nothing like seeing your little one while they sleep.  i dont know how the non-video-ers do it.  when our house was struck by lightening and our original monitor {and most of our electronics in our house} were fried, i tried several other cheaper video monitors, but NOTHING worked as well as this.  and i tried THREE different ones.  so back to summer i went :).  they also sell additional cameras if you have other babies, and the monitor has two channels to keep tabs on both.  i think there are newer versions of this same monitor, but this is the one we have.

7.  pamper swaddlers - the ONLY WHITE baby diapers.  i know.  crazy.  these are so soft and work great and dont show through baby clothes and i loved them.  and when he was too big for swaddlers i was a 100% huggies mom: best leak protection, mildest silly cartoons on them, and cheaper than pampers.  they also have the best and most attainable coupons {online, sunday paper, in the mail, etc}.

8.  angel dear pillow - and blankets.  bennett LOVES his "froggy pillow."  i dont know what we will do when we switch to the big bed.  i have tried him on other "normal" pillows while we wash his froggy one, but he keeps asking for the froggy one back.  and its small so it travels really well {better than a big normal one}.  and he still sleeps with his angel dear blankies.  and i dont care if he still does when he is ten {ok maybe i will a little}.  the last little "baby" thing bennett still does... :(

9.  playtex sipsters - the only sippy cups i found that DO NOT LEAK.  at all.  EVER.  and we tried MANY different types/brands.  they are da bomb.  and they are simple and fit in cup holders and dont have tons of crazy contraptions and pieces to them. {except you DO need to take out the small plastic vent piece when you wash them of course...i just put them in a basket in the dishwasher}.

10.  evenflo exersaucer - i was reminded of this recently when talking with a friend about switching some of our baby gear {she has a girl and is having a boy, just opposite of me}.  we loved our exersaucer.  we actually folded it down and traveled with it many times.  not only is it insanely packed full of STUFF for baby to do, but it comes apart and makes this snake like thing that is great for the soon-to-be-toddler to toddle around.  it lived in our den, in the middle of the floor, for MONTHS.  oh the days...   also, i dont think they make our exact one anymore but this one is the same idea

11.  baby bjorn air carrier - we also tried many different carriers just to return them all bc they either were uncomfortable, cheap feeling, or had way too many straps and loose pieces on them.  i somehow found ours at target and while it said it was $99.99 {at the time} it rang up for $19.99 and the management let me have it.  i know.  super lucky and ill take it! {its worth the $99.99 - stephen wore the heck out of this thing as im sure you remember in all the pictures}.  im going to invest in a good sling this time, though, as i also hear they are quite useful!

12.  phil and teds - need i go on? i love this thing.  and the newer ones are even better - with adjustable heights on the handlebars and cup holders and such.  it fits two babies but doesnt take up so much room like the double side-by-sides.  {it will fit through a 3' doorway}.  it also gives you many options as you can fit one infant lying down flat, or one baby sitting at varying heights, or one infant lying flat and one toddler in the available toddler seat, or two toddlers sitting front to back.  its great.  love love love it.  and it took up LESS room in my old teeny tiny car's trunk than the chicco stroller did.  very compact. and good for jogging or just all-terrain.  see - i COULD go on and on.

stay tuned for baby stuff: the bad and baby stuff: the so-so editions.