These are a few of MY favorite things

My sister posted some of her favorite things for a one year old, so I thought I'd post some of mine.  We'll start with a 0-3 month old baby.

1.  A sound machine!  We have 2 different ones and I like them each for their own reason.  The Munchkin Nursery Projector and Sound System is nice because it can be really loud which is good when you're staying with a houseful of 22+ people for a week and it also has a fun projector that I occasionally use to distract CJ.  I also got the myBaby Sound Spa Portable which we use in our room or for quick trips to visit family.  While I try to avoid at all costs any sleep props, this is one that I am willing to live with and it's up to you to decide if you're willing to bring it with you everywhere or not.    This is what made CJ sleep as a newborn and also is what helps Lil Sir sleep as well.  I had it rush delivered the same day because I was so desperate for sleep.

2. aden + anais Swaddle blankets. I didn't have these with CJ because I didn't think they would be worth the price tag.  I got them as an Amazon warehouse deal this time around and they are totally worth the full price.  They are huge & soft!  I did an "unbreakable" swaddle with Lil Sir who by the way is approaching 16 pounds at just over 2 months and would never have fit in a normal size receiving blanket.  He instantly would fall right to sleep.  It was seriously amazing to watch.  Then one day it was raining.  I just got the blanket out of my diaper bag and covered up the whole entire car seat with it.  Let me repeat--this thing covered our giant (up to 30 lb baby) car seat.  No burp cloth--just use one of these!  Forgot your nursing cover--just use one of these!  I could literally forget everything at home except my aden + anais blanket and I'd be all good.  Though I'd probably cry if I had to use it as a diaper.

3. The Lily Jade.  I was fortunate enough to win a Lily Jade diaper bag (Anna in black) from a Facebook giveaway, and it is seriously amazing.  As a new mom again, I often go out and forget that I have replaced my make-up for spit-up.  However, it doesn't matter because I'm sure everyone is staring at my awesome bag.  It looks like a big bag, but is actually a super awesome diaper bag.  Some of them even convert to back packs which would be awesome.  The zipper is quiet for frantically searching for the pacifier in church.  The smell is wonderful.  They are easy to clean.  On and on....

4.  Medela Pump in Style Advanced. I was fortunate enough to be able to get one of these through my insurance so I never had to pay a dime for mine, but I would pay over 2,000 dimes for one if my insurance didn't cover it.  I don't actually have anything to compare it to, but I have heard rumors of other breast pumps that scare me.

5. Infantino Union Ergonomic Carrier.  It isn't the BEST carrier out there, but when you're trying to not spend a thousand dollars on every baby item, this is a good option.  It's soft, hip healthy for baby, and back healthy for you. It can be used on your front or back depending on how old your baby is.  It also works for babies 8 pounds to toddlers 40 pounds.

6. Halo Swaddle Sacks.  These rank up with the aden + anais for swaddling, but the advantage to these is it doesn't require a parenting degree to figure out.  They Velcro shut so if you have ever used a lunch box that Velcro's closed, then you can use these.  I am currently transitioning Lil Sir to being swaddled with his arms out and these make that a cinch. They also are hip-healthy and prevent SIDS.


7. Babywise.  This helped me figure out how babies work and how to get sleep.  If you are completely anti-cry-it-out, then don't bother.  If you haven't gotten a full nights sleep in years, then I bet you wish you had read it.  Or you could do as I did and read it and then decide which parts you want and which you don't.  CJ slept through the night a couple days after turning 2 months.  Lil Sir slept through the night last night at 2 months 2 weeks.  Eat-Play-Sleep is the best take away from it, but please don't starve your baby.

8. Jesus Storybook Bible.  We received this as a gift and love it.  Every story points to the need for Jesus at the end and I love instilling that in my babies young.

Favorite things for an Almost 2 Year Old:

1. Underwear.  Seriously.  Best thing ever. I'm so glad we're through with diapers with him.  I don't have these Elmo ones, but I really wish I did because Elmo is the only TV character CJ recognizes ever since I got him an Elmo balloon just for fun.  Now he calls balloons Elmo.  We completely threw away diapers and put CJ in underwear and haven't looked back.  From what I read, that's the way to go.  Either that or go bare bottom.  Either way--do it and don't look back is what the book said.  So we did and it worked.  Will it work for everyone?  I have no clue.  I'm just as lost in this parenting thing as you are! haha

2. Baby Bjorn Smart Potty.  Why is it a smart potty?  Because it takes up hardly any space, is no frills, and doesn't scare your kid.  It doesn't slide around.  It's easy for him to get on and off all by himself.  He can put the cup back in without help.  It's orange (I-L-L!).  It has a bear.  It can go with us in the back of the car or SUV.  Thank the Lord for hatchbacks.  I spray it with Lysol every day and put a little bleach in the bottom every couple days cause I'm a freak like that ever since I took Microbiology in college.

3. Slide and Find Books. Sadly, my kid just doesn't like books all that much.  I don't know if it's the age or if I'm doing it wrong, but I just can't get him to take too much of an interest in books other than throwing them or stacking them up.  However, he does love Slide and Find books!  He's an active kid.  He needs something to do.  So this way he is reading and doing at the same time.  He loves his Trucks book, and especially now that he has learned all about the garbage truck.  These have also worked well the entire time he was 1.

4. Babies R Us umbrella stroller. The one we have has been discontinued, but this is the exact same thing just $5 more and with a peek-a-boo canopy.  This is fancier than the $20 one you can get at Walmart.  It has a little basket, a larger hood, and is also slightly taller and rated for kids up to 50 lbs.  I never got one of those giant stroller systems just because we never had room and I didn't want to deal with all that bulk.  I don't need a giant basket because I'm not going to empty my diaper bag into it.  I'm going to throw my diaper back over the handles or my shoulder.  This has got us through since he was about 5 months old.  I've even been just using this and wearing Lil Sir.

5. Discipline without Shouting or Spanking.  I don't even know if this is a "popular" book or not, I just happened to see it at a thrift store and thought it sounded like something I might need. (Hashtag desperate.)  It is super easy to read and broken down by topic.  It has advice on how to prevent problems, solve the problem, and an example to further help you out.  As I may have mentioned before, I got a degree in animals--not toddlers or preschoolers.  I know nothing about toddlers other than I've heard the "terrible twos" are bad but three is worse.  I don't even particularly like toddlers unless they are my own or related.  However, this has made it easier on my dumb-mom self.

6. How to Talk So Kids Will Listen and Listen So Kids Will Talk.  I checked this out from the library in the Quad Cities when CJ was a baby still because it sounded interesting.  Since he couldn't do much wrong at the time, I started testing out their advice on my dear Hubby.  And it started working!  Now that CJ is older, I'm able to use some of the advice I learned in this book, and it helps prevent the dreaded meltdown.  I keep searching the bookshelves of my favorite thrift stores hoping to snag a copy to keep.

If I had to add more, I'd say things like lids off veggie pouches, Aldi diapers, cloth diapers, a diaper sprayer, clean & empty yogurt cups, rocks, chalk, and balls. Simpler is always better.