Second Baby Favorites

I feel like I have been seeing pregnancy announcements popping up left and right all over my social media lately, with many of my friends expecting their second baby. So, now that I'm 6.5 (whatttt) months into this whole 2 kid thing, I am by no means an expert, but thought I'd share a few of my faves! 

1. Boppy lounger We barely used this thing with Ella, but it has been great for Lucas! I loved being able to quickly plop him in it whenever I had to take Ella potty, get her food, etc. You can never have enough baby "holders"! 

2. City Select Double Stroller I know I am not the first person to sing this stroller's praises! It. is. amazing! I am a big stroller fan, so I knew I was going to need a double stroller. This one is awesome because it adapts to hold just about every car seat on the market, plus you can arrange the seats in 508 different ways. We've taken this to Disney World, the mall, on road trips...and it's done well in pretty much every situation. I will say that the steering does suck, but hello, you are pushing 50 pounds worth of kids so I mean...

3. Ergo 360 I am not a huge baby-wearer, but I knew I was going to have to wear Lucas more than I wore Ella. I wanted the 360 vs. the regular Ergo because Ella loved facing outwards, and I figured Lucas probably would too (I was right!). 

4. Baby K'tan This was a life saver when Lucas was really tiny this summer. I got the Breeze version, which has a mesh portion so I could stay as cool as possible when I wore him outside. After he was about 12+ pounds, we switched to the Ergo because this just got to be too heavy for me. But he practically lived in this thing for a few months and was very cozy! 

5. Sit Me Up Seat Oh man, I wish I had invented this! Another great baby holder after baby is about 10-12 weeks. Lucas still sits in his all. of. the. time (even though he can sit up on his own) because he loves to play with the toys on it! The cover is super easy to wash too...you know, in case someone poops or spits up on it (not like that has happened or anything). 

6. Nursing Cover With a toddler, we are rarely home when Lucas needs to eat, so this has been such a lifesaver. I am still pretty modest when it comes to feeding my kid in public, so I never leave home without this cover! If I had to do it again though, I'd probably get a Milk Snob cover that doubles as a car seat cover as well! 

And now for a few things Ella can't live without...

1. iPad I realize you are probably judging me right now...but hey, ya gotta do what ya gotta do. I get about 68% more things accomplished when Ella is occupied with this. I try not to let her watch shows all the time...her favorite games are the Lego Duplo and Sago Mini apps (this one, this one, this one and this one).

2. Melissa and Doug Water Wow Books So when Ella's maxed out her 6 hours per day on the iPad (I'm kidding, promise) these are pretty entertaining! I love that they don't make a mess, and are easy to bring in the car and take to a restaurant, babysitter's house, etc. 

3. Stickers It's amazing what a 2 year old will do for a sticker. "Ella, can you go get me Lucas's paci? I'll give you a sticker!" "Ella, can you bring me my phone? I'll give you a sticker!" "Ella stop laying on your brother. I'll give you a sticker!" Yes, you need lots of stickers. 

4. Peppa Pig House Ella could play all day with this little house. I like that it is quiet entertainment!

5. LeapFrog Laptop Ok, so not a far cry from the iPad...but it has some cute educational games on it, and I swear it has helped Ella learn her letters!

6. Color Wonder Books Another thing I wish I had invented. Ella just keeps coloring and coloring these...even over the pictures she's already colored! We also have this stamp pad that she thinks is the coolest thing since sliced bread. ;)

So there you have it! If you're having another baby, basically you need several baby holder devices and an iPad. And a few crafty things that aren't annoying and will hold your toddler's attention. 

Let me know if there's something I left off!

SaveSave

11 and 12 Month Favorites

Happy Snow Day!!!

Since we have no school today (!!!!!) I have a little time to share some of Ella's favorite things lately!

1. Cozy Coupe:

Confession: I got this for $20 off Craigslist, and let me tell you, it has been some of the best $20 I have ever spent! Ella LOVES this thing. She hasn't figured out how to move herself in it, but she can climb in and out of the car and that entertains her pretty much all day long. 

2. Pack 'n Play:

When registering, I opted to get a more "simple" PnP (without the changing pad, newborn napper, etc.) and I'm really glad I did. We never used this much until recently. It was great during the holidays when we traveled to our families' homes. Now, at home, I throw a bunch of toys in there for Ella to play with while I run on the treadmill or shower. She's outgrown so many of her other baby "holders" (Rock n Play, bouncy seats, etc.) so this is great for corralling her at this age! 

3. Measuring cups:

Yes this is really on here. Proof that no matter how many baby toys you have, your kid always wants the most basic, "boring," kitchen gadgets. Ella pulls these out of the drawer daily. 

4. Infant Motrin:

Due to Ella being sick way too much these past few months, we heavily relied on this and went through several bottles of it! I prefer it over Tylenol because I think it works quicker and more effectively. 

5. Nuby sippy cups:

As we are phasing out bottles, these have been my favorite sippy cup of all that we've tried so far. They do not spill/leak, and Ella seems to drink the most milk out of these (not sure if it's the handles, or the nipple, or what, but she won't drink hardly anything out of the other zippy cups)! 

6. Munchkin Farm and Sea Bath Squirts:

Ella got these for Christmas and loves playing with them in the bath tub! She also really likes giving them to Travis and I think it's helping her learn animal names (If we ask her "Where's the cow?" she can usually find it!)!

7. Knock Knock Blocks:

These blocks are awesome! They are super soft, and the square ones each do something different...rattle, crinkle, etc. I found these while looking for the blocks they have at our library story time...well, those are $60+, so for much less, these totally work for us!! 

8. Mega Bloks & Wagon:

I love how big these are so I don't have to worry about choking! Ella loves to push the wagon all over the place, and even though she doesn't know how to "build" stuff yet, she still likes to watch anyone make something for her, and then knock it down! 

9. Toddler Urban BundleMe:

This is definitely a MUST if you live anywhere where it gets below 50 degrees and you'd like to take a walk with your baby! This thing is so warm and cozy, I usually don't even need to put a coat on Ella. It is super easy to put on your stroller too, it just velcros around the straps. Our nanny uses this pretty much everyday (they take lots of walks!) and loves it, too! 

And there you have it!
Stay safe out there if you are in our area and have lots of ice! Yikes!!! 

9 and 10 Month Favorites

I thought I'd combine months 9 and 10 since Ella's favorites haven't changed much! :)

1. Elastic hairbands: 

I am little embarrassed that it has taken me 10 months to tell you about these! Ella has worn them for months now, and they are GENIUS! They have a little loop so you can switch bows out! Amazing, I tell you!!!

2. Snack bag: 

Now that Ella is eating "real people food," these are great to keep all of her snacks and pouches in when we are out and about. Plus they are super easy to clean, and less annoying than using a bunch of ziploc bags!

3. Baby gate: 

This (and those outlet plugs) are really the only baby-proofing products that I think are absolutely essential. Ella would FOR SURE have fallen down the stairs (several times) if we did not have this up! Also, super important to have one that is hardware mounted into the wall (not just pressure-mounted). She loves to "climb" on the baby gate and shake it, so it's a good thing that it's super sturdy!

4. High chair toy: 

Travis' parents got this for Ella, and I love it to keep her entertained while I am getting her meal together!

5. Melissa & Doug puzzle: 

I actually found this at a consignment sale, and while Ella does not know how to put the pieces back in place, she does know how to take them out...and she loves to chew on them, and knock them together (don't worry, I sanitized it)!

6. Hand and face wipes: 

My child is a HOT. MESS. when she eats! {Did you see Thanksgiving?!?} These are perfect for cleaning her up! 

7. Fisher Price Laugh and Learn Table: 

I am OBSESSED with this table! It helps Ella with her standing (and now she pushes it all around the house) and it has so many fun activities on it! Plus, we bought ours used from someone who used to live in Canada, so ours teaches us French (I think the ones you can buy here teach Spanish)! 

8. Puffs: 

Because no list of Ella's favorite things would be complete without the baby crack. 

Eight Month Favorites

Here are some things we love for month 8!

bibs / Babycook / trays / cough syrup

1. Bumkins SuperBibs: I was given A LOT of bibs before Ella was even born, but now that she's eating solids and I've gotten to try them all out, I have to say these are my favorite. They are waterproof, so I just rinse them off in the sink after and they dry pretty quickly. I love the pouch that catches food, and I feel like they cover more of Ella than some of the smaller bibs we have. 

2. Beaba Babycook: I got this from one of those Facebook garage sale groups, and while I don't think I could justify shelling out $120 for it, I'm pretty happy with the $40 I did spend on it! Yes, I could just use my food processor. But this thing makes making baby food SOOOO much easier. It steams and purees the food for me, so I don't have to always google "how to steam and puree a sweet potato" (because, yes, I am an idiot and would google that). Plus, everything goes in the dishwasher and it's super easy to clean!

3. Beaba freezer trays: These were necessary when I started making baby food in mass quantities. The food pops out of them relatively easy, and they also can go in the dishwasher and microwave! 

4. Zarbee's baby cough syrup: This doesn't really fit in with the baby food theme I have going on here, but it goes in Ella's mouth, so just go with it. When Ella was super sick last month and couldn't stop coughing, I got really desperate. You are not supposed to give babies cough syrup...but I found this stuff at Target and decided to try it. It's basically just agave nectar, so it coats the baby's throat, but it's all natural. It definitely helped to lessen Ella's cough, so I am a fan and have already recommended it to a few mom friends! 

Ella's Kitchen pouches / Plum pouches / Baby Mum Mums

1. Ella's Kitchen and Plum pouches: When I am not making my own baby food (like if we are traveling or I am feeling exceptionally lazy that day), I give Ella these pouches. These 2 kinds are the only ones I've found that do not have any crazy ingredients in them (or any with the word "acid" in it....don't know why, but that freaks me out). They are just simply the fruit or vegetable(s), and little water or lemon juice. And Ella really likes them!

2. Baby Mum Mums: I know I've mentioned these a few times, but Ella LOVES these things! Don't get me wrong, we love Puffs too (ok, maybe me more than Ella), but those are still a little difficult for her to grab and hold on to. The mum mums are so easy for her to eat, plus they are packaged nicely so I can pack them for her snack when she goes to the YMCA!

walker / Swing! / phone / Zany Zoo

1. Fisher Price Musical Activity Walker: I got this things for $9 at a consignment sale and it's one of my favorite consignment sale buys! A few of Ella's boyfriends have this too, and they all love it equally as much. Ella isn't ready to walk with it yet, but she loves to sit in front of it and push all the different buttons, and eat the little book that's on the front. 

2. Swing! book: Ella loves this book because the pictures move when you turn the pages...it's SO cool! (She also likes to eat the pages, but that's nothing new.) There are a few more books like this one (Gallop, Waddle and Santa...plus Star Wars and Wizard of Oz versions, too!) that I plan on getting for her as well! 

3. Baby smart phone: Trav's parents got this phone for her and SHE. IS. OBSESSED. Almost as obsessed as she is with our real iPhones ;)

3. Zany Zoo activity cube: My friend Amanda was sweet enough to let us borrow this! Ella loves to pull up on it, but she also enjoys playing with the different sides and the beads and animals on the top! Her favorite side is with the zigzag race paths. I think she could sit in front of the Zany Zoo and be entertained all day if I let her!

Whew! Thanks for reading my novel of favorite things for this month! :)

Seven Month Favorites

A few faves for Ella's seventh month of life!

umbrella stroller / blanket / sun shade / cart cover

1. Umbrella stroller: I caved and got an umbrella stroller for the sole purpose of bringing it to UNC games (you are allowed to bring a stroller into the stadium if it will fit under your seat....something our original stroller was not even close to being capable of!). I wish I had gotten it sooner!! It is SO lightweight and easy to maneuver, it has become my go to stroller that permanently stays in the trunk of my car! Travis wanted to know why we had to get such an expensive one, and why we didn't just "go to Walmart and pick out one with Disney characters on it"? Well, no offense if that's what you have, but I tried out a whole bunch of umbrella strollers at Buy Buy Baby and a lot of them felt super cheap and like they were about to fall apart (even the cheaper Uppababy umbrella stroller)! Plus this one reclines and is such a pretty color (which is obviously all that really matters). 

2. Blanket: This blanket is the bomb.com It was perfect for the beach...and then I fell even more in love when we took it tailgating! Ella's bf spilled mimosas all over it (he didn't have any to drink, no worries!) and it wiped off magically! Plus, it can go in the washing machine, and it folds up into a nice little package!

3. Sun shade: Ella lived in this thing when we were at the pool! I love that it is shaded too, so I don't have to worry about her being in the sun for too long. 

4. Cart cover: You've probably noticed this thing popping up in a lot of my weekly recap pictures! This particular one is great because it's big enough to fit on the ginormous Target shopping carts!

Pop up animal toy / blocks / tumble top

1. Pop up animal toy: They had one of these at the YMCA and it kept Ella from crying for about 3 minutes, so I had to get her one! She hasn't figured out how to make the animals pop up yet, but she does know how to slam them down!

2. Blocks: These are awesome because they each do something different (crinkle, rattle, etc.), plus they are soft and easy to clean. Ella loves to chew on them as well!

3. Tumble top: I didn't even know what this was until Ella grabbed it at a consignment sale. It was $1.75, and let me tell you, that was the best $1.75 I've ever spent! You just push the top and the little balls inside pop and spin around...so simple, but my child would be entertained for hours by this thing. It is also very durable and held up to Ella's bf slamming it on the ground. :)

And because it's back to school time, here are a few of our favorite books:

Goodnight Owl / The Very Hungry Caterpillar / Hug-a-Bible / The Going to Bed Book

1. Goodnight Owl: Of course I love anything owls and this is a great bedtime story!

2. The Very Hungry Caterpillar: A classic. I love pretty much anything Eric Carle, but this one takes the cake.

3. Hug-a-Bible: My grandparents gave this to Ella at her baptism, and she likes to hold it because it's cover is so soft. It has cute little poems for the more popular Bible stories (David and Goliath, Noah's ark, etc.) and makes the minister's daughter in me feel better when we can't make it to church!

4. The Going to Bed Book: I love Sandra Boynton books, and this one is especially funny and cute!

Six Month Favorites

A few of our favorites for month 6!

With the whole cloth diaper disaster (and omg, I promise I'll stop mentioning it!), I figured my favorite disposable products should be mentioned this month! :)

Pampers swaddlers / Ubbi diaper pail / Target diaper cream / A+D / wipes

1. Pampers swaddles are my favorite diaper! And we've tried LOTS! Luvs and Huggies were a complete joke (leaked pretty much every time!), and Honest Co. I found ran a little small (although the designs were super cute). Runner up award I would give to the Target brand; they are always on the Cartwheel app and have held in some pretty legit blowouts. But they're not Pampers. 

2. Diaper pail: This one rocks because it takes regular garbage bags and it doesn't smell funky because it's metal, not plastic!

3. Target diaper cream: Again, always on the Cartwheel app (how did I live before that app?!), and has cleared up some pretty intense diaper rash. (I use the maximum strength variety, but couldn't find that online.)

4. A+D: I like this stuff for the everyday prevention of diaper rash. We use it every diaper change.

5. Wipes: We have tried a lot of different wipes, too. I actually like Huggies wipes better than Pampers (Pampers seem too chemically and "wet" if that makes any sense?), but because I'm cheap (hello, this is wiping your baby's butt), I just use the Target brand...again, always on the Cartwheel app!

Next up, feeding stuff...we are just getting into food, but here's what I love so far!

Boon Flair high chair / Bowls / Spoons

1. High chair: I love this high chair because it doesn't have cheesy designs, it doesn't take up tons of space, and it's incredibly easy to clean!

2. Bowls and spoons: These can go in the dishwasher (a must for me!) and they are also very durable when my child decides to throw them onto the floor. 

Last but not least, a few toys!

Giraffe / Bouncy Baton / Oball / Bubbles

1. Giraffe: I found this at Target, and I love it because it has the crinkly stuff Ella loves, and the feet are teethers, so she can chew on it, too! 

2. Bouncy Baton: By far, the best $3 my parents have ever spent. Ella is obsessed with this thing, it's ridiculous. I'm going to cry when the battery runs out.

3. Oballs: Ella loves to put these in her mouth, roll them, and shake them. They also make them in football shapes!

4. Bubbles: I finally figured out that these are the bubbles they use at the library during story hour! They last forever and make tons of teeny tiny bubbles!

Now, if only there was a "favorite" that could magically get my baby to nap?!?! 

Five Month Favorites

Now that my child is almost 6 months (eeeek! Where has the time gone?!), I figured I should probably get around to posting her favorite things at 5 months! 

I know you've all been worried...

In addition to the toys I've mentioned in previous favorites posts, we have some new ones:

Jumperoo / Loopy Ball / Take Along Tunes

1. Jumperoo: Trav's parents got us this for Christmas before Ella was even here, but she's finally big enough to go in it...and she LOVES it! She has just started to figure out how to play with all of the toys on it, and it makes for fabulous entertainment for both me and her!

2. Loopy Ball: I love this thing because it has a little hook so I can hang it from the toy bar on her play mat or the car seat. 

3. Take Along Tunes: This is a #1 best seller on Amazon for a reason! If Ella is fussy and I turn this thing on, 9 times out of 10, she will stop crying and just stare at this thing. It's amazing.

Owl pillow / Go-Go book / Fruit snacks wrappers / Owl mirror

1. Owl pillow: When we take our weekly photos, Ella has become so fascinated by this thing, that most of the time I have to take it away until we are done taking pictures! It's wings are crinkly, which she loves almost as much as playing with the gigantic tag on the back. 

2. Go-Go book: Someone gave this to me at my baby shower, and whoever it was THANK YOU! This is one of my favorite things to take with us when we're out and about...it's crinkly pages distract Ella fabulously!

3. Fruit snacks wrappers: Yes, this really is one of Ella's favorite things right now. I'm still downing fruit snacks left and right so I can give my child the wrapper to play with! She's obsessed.

4. Owl mirror: Ella loves this thing just for the crinkly wings. (Are you seeing a pattern here? Apparently my child will only play with things that crinkle.) She doesn't actually use the mirror part....just the wings. 

And because it's summer, here are our favorites for the pool!

Sunscreen / Sun hat / Rash guard

1. Sunscreen: I originally thought babies couldn't wear sunscreen till 6 months, but my pediatrician told me it was ok to put a little on Ella after 4 months. I've been really happy with the Aveeno bath products, so I bought the sunscreen as well. It hasn't made Ella break out at all and goes on really easily, so I am happy with it so far!

2. Sun hat: This is so essential for keeping sun out of baby's eyes! This one comes in 485762 colors, but I like white so it will match all of Ella's swim suits!

3. Rash guard: I really didn't understand the appeal of these until this summer. I love that when Ella is wearing this, I only have to put sunscreen on her legs, and I don't have to worry about her arms getting sunburnt. Mine is sold out at Gap, but a similar orange version can be found here.

That's all I've got for month 5! 

Happy Thursday! :)

Four Month Favorites

A few of Ella's (well really, my) favorite things for her 4th month!

Halo SleepSack Swaddle / Owl Patch Trio / Sophie

1. SleepSack Swaddles: I know I said a few months ago that I didn't like these because Ella could bust out of them in .5 seconds. However, now that she is rolling, she really shouldn't be swaddled anymore, and these definitely helped us transition from the swaddles to a regular sleep sack!

2. Owl Patch Toys: Ella has these hanging from her playmat, and she loooooooves them! I also move them around so she's not looking at the same one in the same place all of the time, and they can also attach to her stroller/car seat! Travis calls them her "blowfish" haha. They are OWLS, Trav, geez!

3. Sophie: I finally get why this thing is like $25! Ella is obsessed with Sophie. She loves to chew on it, look at it, and is perplexed when it squeaks. Highly entertaining!

Aveeno Wash & Shampoo / Bath Thermometer / PBK Towels

1. Aveeno bath products: I found the Aveeno stuff at Target (it was buy 3, get a $5 Target gift card, PLUS it was on Cartwheel for like 5% off AND I had a coupon, so major score!) and I've been really happy with it. I am not really into over-paying for baby shampoo, so we've never tried the more expensive brands (California Baby, Honest Co., etc.) but I've just heard Johnsons is bad. So I'm sticking with Aveeno :)

2. Bath thermometer: I highly recommend getting one of these! I always think the water is not hot enough for Ella, and then I stick the thermometer in...and whoops, its scalding! (Don't worry, I put her in after I get the right temperature!)

3. Pottery Barn Kids hooded towels are my faaaaaaavorite! So soft, so cute. Win, win. (The lamb is my personal fav.)

Portable Changing Station / Mommy Hook / Saline Drops

1. Portable Changing Station: I have had to change Ella everywhere, from the library, to restaurants, to the backseat of the car. Some of those places are just plain nasty and don't even have a changing table (that folds out from the wall). And I def don't want Ella getting poop all over the backseat of my car! So this thing has really gotten used A LOT and its a lifesaver!

2. Mommy Hook: Who the heck invented this?! I bet they are making a TON of money off something so simple and yet, so genius!!! I can't fit a lot in the basket under my stroller (and my diaper bag...forget about it!) so this is super handy to hang my diaper bag and all of my other shopping bags (whoops, shouldn't be spending money!) from!

3. Saline drops: These were a lifesaver when Ella was super congested a few weeks ago. Yes, kinda nasty, but very essential. 

Woohoo...another month of fun stuff!!!

Three Month Favorites

Here are a few of our favorite things for month 3!!!

Seeing as we've finally transitioned Ella to her crib, up first....

1. I love our Motorola monitor! It has a huge screen, picks up every little sound and even tells me the temperature of her room.

2. Even though the Motorola monitor is amazing, I am still a little psychotic paranoid and wanted a movement monitor, in case Ella ever stopped breathing or something terrible like that! At only $60 on Amazon, it was definitely worth it to give me piece of mind. We actually had our first false alarm last night--she rolled off the center pad. I wasn't mad about it waking me up at 6 am...I'm just glad the thing works!

3. We loved the humidifier we got for Ella's room so much, we got another for our room, too!

Next, Ella isn't really into toys yet, but here are a few of her favorite "play" things:

1. I love this Fisher Price bouncer. It's super portable so she can sit in it all over the house, and she loves to stare at the animals that hang down.

2. Ella looooooooooves to sit in her Bumbo chair because she loves to see what's going on around her! Also, its kinda her fav spot to watch her jam on the iPad.

3. This Kick n Play Piano Gym has been a new favorite. She wasn't super into it at first, but now she's figured out how to kick the piano and make music! She also loves to look at herself in the mirror that hangs over head.

And a few other random things...

1. The grass drying rack is perfect for drying bottle and pump parts! I also have the little twig thing that goes with it. Super cute and doesn't take up a ton of room.

2. I can't believe I haven't mentioned our carrier yet! It's the Britax one, and while I was skeptical at first, it's seriously the only way I get anything done when Ella just wants to be held! She loves being in it!

3. Remember when we accidentally clipped Ella's skin cutting her nails?! This nail trimmer is awesome because it gently files down the nails, no clipping! Ella laughs and smiles now when she is getting a manicure!

4. I know there is a little debate about My Brest Friend vs. Boppy. I have both, and I do like the MBF because baby doesn't slip between you and the pillow, but the Boppy is more versatile. I also use it for propping Ella up to sit, and she can also do tummy time with it (thanks, Dana!)! 

So there you have it....another month of baby gear! Hopefully, we'll be into some toys next month?!!

Two Month Favorites

Here are a few favorite things that helped us survive the second month with Ella!

First up...her top 3 favorite places to nap:

(notice the crib is not on here, whoops!)

1. I got realllllly lucky and have a kid who loves the Mamaroo! In fact, she is currently chilling in it now, as I write this! This thing is awesome...you can see all the details here. (The "car ride" setting is her fav!)

2. Our stroller and car seat are pretty awesome too. I love that the stroller has 3 wheels, like a jogging stroller (although, I haven't run with it yet, so the jury's still out on whether or not it can fill in for a full-fledged jogging stroller). And the car seat fits perfectly in it...no need to buy any crazy adapters. Plus they are both super, super safe! 

3. The Rock n Play is probably my favorite favorite for this month (and definitely Trav's favorite...he carries it all over the house)! Ella could sit in that thing all day long if i made her. She is still sleeping in it at night and takes the majority of her naps in either that or the car seat. We will also be taking this with us when we go out of town this weekend! 

{Side note: I got this cute pattern at Target...because I HATE (hate, hate, hate) beige--which is the color of almost every other Rock n Play at every other store.}

1. My child is very, very strange and actually LIKES the Nose Frida!!?!? I know. Travis prefers the nasal aspirator we got from the hospital, but I have a hard time getting the snot out with that...the Nose Frida is awesome. 

2. Thank God for the person who invented these bags. No waiting to run things through the dishwasher--or worse, washing them by hand myself!

3. This month we have fed Elle Belle a few bottles and I have to say, I totally love the Dr. Brown's bottles. Yes, they have a lot of parts...but using those sterilizer bags really helps!

1. I'm going to be totally honest and say that I added these Aden + Anais swaddle blankets to my registry, because everyone had them on their "must-have" list, even though I wasn't totally sure what I would do with them. Now, I am obsessed with them! They are the perfect burp cloth, plus they make a great blanket and swaddle for when it's hot out. I foresee us using these tons more as the weather warms up!

2. These are my favorite swaddles. We also have some of the Halo Sleep Sack swaddles, but Ella busts out of those like nobody's business. She sometimes busts out of these, but it's a little more difficult.

3. This rattle is about the only real "toy" Ella has interest in at the moment. I use it to get her attention during our photo shoots and she actually will hold on to it from time to time. Plus, there's an owl on it, so obvi I needed to have it. 

And there ya go....another month of fun stuff for Elle Belle!

One Month Favorites

I never really did a whole baby registry post, because I wanted to see what Ella actually liked before I wrote about it. So, here are some things we couldn't live without for Ella's first month of life!

First some essentials....

1. These side snap shirts are the best! I hate putting stuff over her head.

2. We love our Wubbanubs! Ella has the dog, giraffe and lamb :)

3. Ella has been living in these sleeper outfits. My favorites are the Carters Sleep and Plays with ZIPPERS. Snaps get really complicated!

4. These changing pad liners are the most essential thing in this whole post. It is awesome not to have to change the whole changing pad cover every time she has a little accident (which is almost every day). I'm pretty sure I will be buying these for any and every baby shower I attend from here on out. Not the most fab present, but those moms will thank me later! 

Ella doesn't get cranky very much, but these 4 things definitely help during those rare fussy times...

1. Travis' sister got this owl for Ella and she loves it! It helps soothe her when she's in her car seat.

2. Ella loves her bear play mat! During her newborn photo shoot, she actually stopped crying whenever we put her on this! (I promise I'll share pictures soon!)

3. Also crucial during the newborn photo shoot, and in subsequent nights, was this sound machine. It even lulls me to sleep.

4. My parents got Ella this dog, and it plays music and birds chirping, which Ella loves. It usually calms her right down. 

And last but not least, some super glamorous essentials for me...postpartum care is not pretty, friends. 

1. Hospital squirt bottle. I may or may not still occasionally use this thing. I actually stole 2 from the hospital (don't tell!) and have the other one in Ella's room for especially dirty diaper changes.

2. Soothies Gel Pads....helped my poor, sore boobs A TON.

3. Mesh underwear. I literally cried when I ran out and had to wear real underwear again.

4. Yes I am still sleeping with my pregnancy pillow. Is that fine?!