Here we go with Part 2 of our first year essentials. These are all things that we really got a lot of use out of or really enjoyed at some point over the past few months, though none of them are really essentials at all. But why go messin' with a good title now, right?
1. Infantino Cart and Highchair Cover: There are about a million variations of this product, many of which would probably serve their purpose just as well as this one. What I specifically love about this one is that it has several places that allow you to hook toys and even a cup so that they won't get tossed out and lost or hit the floor. It also has an attached pouch that allows you to fold it up for storage. It's still not tiny by any means, but it's still quite handy. And most importantly, it's cute :)
2. Turtlemeter Bathtub Thermometer: So this is one that I have absolutely loved, while Jordan would be fine with gauging the water temperature with his hand. See, I shower in lukewarm water, while Jordan prefers to be scalded, at least I think it's scalding. Of course, that is coming from the one who won't step foot in a hot tub (those things are ridiculously hot if you ask me). So this has eliminated what I am sure would have been a nightly argument. We started with one of those rubber ducks that was supposed to say "hot" or change colors or something, but it never looked any different no matter what the water temperature was. This one actually gives you the temperature reading and it is color coded to tell you when the water is too hot, just right or too cold. I love, love, love it!
3. Step2 Swing: Adelaide never gets tired of this thing, plus it's turquoise. Enough said.
4. Cloud b Soother: This was a very early purchase, back in the days of colic. We got tired of running our phone batteries down playing the sound machine apps when we were out, so we bought Jimmy Giraffe (our affectionate name for him) in the hopes that it would be the magic cure, always on hand to stop any crying or aid sleep when we were out and about. While it wasn't quite the cure-all we had hoped it would be (the story of most colic solutions for us), it was still nice to have around. It went in the car seat with Adelaide every single time we left the house and went to the babysitter's house daily for about 4 months. It helped more than most things we bought out of colic-induced desperation.
5. Bobux Slipper: LOVE THESE! Adelaide has the cutest pudgy feet. Perfect to admire and tickle, but difficult to get into a shoe. These are fantastic! Easy for me to get on her, but not too easy for her to get off. Plus they are really soft and easy for her to maneuver in, and obviously they are completely adorable!
6. Ema Jane Headbands: Adelaide's noggin has always measured in the higher percentiles, so maybe that is why I had such a hard time finding headbands to fit her sweet little head without leaving marks. I tried several other types of headbands before I found these, and all of them would leave red marks on her head after only a few minutes. Obviously, babies don't need to wear headbands, so Adelaide went without (poor mistreated baby!) for about the first 6 months. Then I found these on Pinterest. She now has a set of the bows and a set of the flowers. These have never left any kind of mark on her head, they are super soft and again, completely adorable if you ask me! Plus, they're cheap!
7. Manhattan Toy Travel Mobile: This was another purchase from the dreaded colicky days. Adelaide hated being put down on her changing table. She cried immediatly and wouldn't stop until she was up again. So we got this in the hopes that it would, again, be the magic cure. This one actually lived up to our expectiaons though. She loved this thing. Now, I use the word "loved" in Adelaide terms, meaning she would look at it without crying or screaming... I mean, it didn't make her smile or laugh or anything crazy like that. I'm telling you, she was COLICKY! No joke. No exaggeration. It was hell. But it's all good now :) Anyway, this little mobile was awesome, becuase we could just hook it to the shelf above her changing table, or we could take it with us to hook on her carseat, and it totally distracted her. WIN!
So, that's all I've got. Of course there have been tons of other things that we've loved or are still loving, but these are some of the favorites. Hope it's useful to someone else!
Oh, and if you clicked on any of the links, you probably noticed that we got almost everything from amazon.com. And if you know me, that will not come as a surprise. #1 Amazon has pretty much everything, #2 Their prices are usually the same or cheaper than everywhere else, #3 When you have a colicky baby, the thought of stepping foot in an actual store is enough to cause a panic attack, so online shopping it is!
Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission (we're not talkin' a new wardrobe here, more like snack money :). Regardless, I only recommend products I use personally and believe others may enjoy as well. Thank you for supporting the companies that support me and my family!
