The Big Baby Registry Love List

I've been meaning to write this post for a while now, but I was honestly a bit overwhelmed, because there's so much stuff that goes along with such a tiny little person. Now I do not claim to be a perfect mom or a baby expert, but I do have two of them under the age of two, so I had to learn a whole bunch in a short span of time. I am not an impulse shopper; I like to do my research and get recommendations from friends before I buy. But I also like stuff that's not going to completely cramp my style (but yeah, it's got to be a little cramped because it's a baby, and they, as a people, are style-crampers). Here are some things that have worked for us. I'm not saying these things are perfect for every family/child/parent/etc. For every item out there, there will be people writing scathing Amazon reviews, and there will also be people wanting to buy stock in the company. And it's because every baby is different. So this is what has worked for us. Maybe it won't work for you. Maybe I was a fluke. But this stuff worked for us. So I'm gonna just go with that.

It's hard to organize this list, but I did my best. And I know I'm leaving a whole lot out. If I remember enough, maybe I'll do a follow-up post some time.

bouncer // Canon 60D // Pack n' Play // Ergo 360 // baby monitor // city mini stroller // swing

Fisher Price My Little Snugabunny Bouncer-This is one of those items that wasn't a complete necessity for me, but was really nice to have. It wasn't a ride or die item, but I did love the option of taking it upstairs and letting the baby sit in it in the bathroom while I showered (which was like twice ever, but A for effort). We kept it in the kitchen a lot, so it was a nice place to put the babe down while we cooked or ate. I "hear" that people sometimes even set it in front of the TV if they need five minutes to scream into a pillow. Wouldn't know about that personally.

Canon 60D DSLR Camera- This is a large commitment financially, but 100% worth it. It's the most expensive item we bought whenever we decided to start a family, and Alex questioned me at first. I am pretty sure he thought I was being hormonal and demanding outrageously expensive items for shits and giggles. But now he loves it (and knows how to work it) even more than I do. In the first year of Bobby's life, we took over 10,000 photos. You will find that when photographing a newborn, for every 3 pictures that are Facebook-worthy, there are about 300 pictures that go in the trash pile. And that's the beauty of the digital age: you can just trash that ish. How did they live before this? Anyhow, I am only showing you the 60D because that is the model we have. It is a mid-range camera, which is probably way too nice and complicated for my skills, which are nil. I could have done just as well with Canon's entry mode DSLR, the Rebel. I think that the most important part is the lens. There are several, depending on what you are looking for. We have the standard 18-135mm lens that comes with the camera, which is great for every day, and then we have my favorite, the "Nifty Fifty," which is great for portraits or still life, or really anything where you want to focus closely on an object and blur the background out. The other accessory I would recommend is a photo editing software, like Lightroom. It's a one-time fee, and there's a learning curve, but I taught myself, and it's totally worth it.

Graco Pack n' Play- Ok, this is something that I actually don't use a ton, but I think that makes me an anomaly. You pretty much have to own one of these before they let you take the baby home from the hospital. It's just part of being a parent. We set it up downstairs when Bobby was born and used it as a changing area. Some people put them by their beds and let baby sleep there. Some people use it as a play pen. I could never get away with either of those, but most people swear by it. We do use ours a ton when we travel, as that is where the baby sleeps on vacation.

Ergo- There are so many different baby-wearing items on the market, and I tried a couple. The Ergo is the only one that I really liked. I have the original Ergo, and I love it. It's pretty comfortable, and both of my babies have loved to snuggle up to my chest. But a lot of babies really like to face outward and look at the world, so that is where the Ergo 360 comes in. The 360 lets you wear your baby traditionally (facing you), outward, and on your hips. There are some tradoffs with the 360, though. The back buckle is a little harder to buckle by yourself (I didn't think it could get more difficult that the original), and the lower back strap is now velcro instead of buckled. I didn't have an issue with my babies needing to face forward, so I love my original Ergo.

VTech Baby Monitor- I'm an incredibly nosy person, and it's just the best thing to creep on your offspring. Heaven help me for when they're teenagers. But anyway, video monitors are great to keep an eye on things, especially when you are crib training. We have always done the Ferber-ish method, where there is some degree of crying-it-out, and it's nice (albiet difficult) to watch this go down. With the video monitor, you can tell if they're just crying for crying's sake, or if something is legitimately wrong. There have been several times when Bobby has awakened crying, and I would have ignored him for a while, but I looked on the monitor and saw that something was really wrong, and I went in and saved the day. We like this monitor. It works great, is at a good price point, and it has 2 cameras. Two cameras are obviously important for two babies, but I would use both cameras even if I didn't have a second baby. One upstairs and one downstairs. I may or may not even take the receiver outside by the pool with me during naptimes and work on my tan and buzz. Just kidding. Sort of.

Stroller- A stroller is another hugely important buy, which I would register for and let people go in on it together for you. It's pretty necessary if you intend on ever leaving the house. But I've got my stroller experience covered in another section.

Fisher Price My Little Snugabunny Swing-This is the most amazing swing on the market, aside for maybe a Mamaroo (which I have not personally used). Some swings are baby-dependent, meaning some babies love them and others don't. I've never met a baby who didn't like this swing. It lies back and literally cradles the baby, instead of sitting up the way a lot of other swings do. It plugs into the wall, so you don't have to worry about perpetually running out of batteries. But what if a thunderstorm knocks power out? What are you to do then?? No worries, it's got battery capabilities, so it's good any time, anywhere. It is perfect for newborns, but honestly, I have used it well into the 7/8 mo age range, too. Because I'm lazy. The only downside is that it has a decently large footprint. But--and this is coming from someone who relishes a clean and orderly living space--it's completely worth it. This isn't the cheapest swing out there, but it's one to for sure put on the registry and let someone else buy. I mean, I'd spend my own money on it, if I had to. And that's saying a lot. 

wubbanub // satsuma mittens // car seat snuzzler // swing // playmat // newborn gowns // Rock n' Play // bath sponge // Miracle Blanket // kimono shirts

Wubbanub- I thought these were kind of silly at first. To be honest, I thought pacifiers were silly altogether. Until we left the hospital. And Bobby wouldn't shut up. "Why does he hate me??" I cried. Alex said give him a paci; I stuck it in his mouth out of desperation, and it satisfied him. The thing that sucks about regular pacis is that itty bitty babies spit them out a lot, which is no big deal, because you just hand it back to them. Over and over and over. This starts to get old at about 1am, when you and the baby actually could be sleeping if it weren't for this riveting game of paci fetch. Enter the Wubbanub. The stuffed animal attached to the paci weighs it down just enough to where if your babe spits it out, it still can stay on his chest or in arm's reach, and you don't have to go fidgeting all around for it. Once the baby has a little more coordination, he can grab the stuffed animal part himself and put the paci in him mouth all by himself. Big win. Plus, they're just kind of cute.

Satsuma mittens- Newborn mittens are the devil's toy. They're necessary (if you don't want your baby to scratch himself with his ridiculously long and nimble talons, which he will), but damn are they even worse than socks to keep on and keep tabs on. We lost three different sets of mittens in less than a week when Bobby was a newborn, and I almost gave up altogether, until I decided to give these a shot. These are great. They're really snug on the wrist and do not come off. We only needed one pair from there on. I ordered one pink set for Vivi, and that was all we needed. Now, there's still the issue of not losing them in the washer and dryer, but I can't really help you there. That's on you.

Snuzzler- I hate how sad newborns look in carseats and strollers when they have no support or padding, and their necks just roll over all limp. It's the worst. The snuzzler makes them a little more comfortable, plus, it helps some with the flat head that newborns get sometimes (Bobby got it a bit, but Vivi never had it once. Go figure).

Lamb playmat- We got this as a gift, and I really loved it. It's a good place to play with a newborn on the floor, to practice tummy time, to play peekaboo, etc. It's soft and cuddly, plush, and adorable.

Newborn gowns- These are amazing for the first couple of months, when all you are doing is feeding, sleeping, and diaper changing. You just lift the bottom up, change the diaper, pull it back down. Easy peasy. I don't know why they even bother making newborn clothes.
Rock n' Play- I accidentally left this off of the original post, and I don't know how, because this contraption has been crucial to my survival during the newborn phase. We originally got Bobby a pretty little bassinet, and it turned out that he loathed lying flat on his back. As in he would. not. sleep. Not even a little bit. So after four days of sleep deprivation, I desperately followed a friend's suggestion and bought the Rock n' Play. And he slept in that thing like a champ. It sits up at an incline almost like a carseat, so babies love it. It is especially good for babies with reflux. When they are newborn, you can swaddle the baby and just place it in the Rock n' Play; when they are a little older, you can buckle the baby in. I'm not going to lie, both of mine slept in this for months by our bed. It's also great to fold up for travel. This was an absolute life saver and is one of my top picks for sure!

Bath sponge-This isn't a huge necessity, but it was nice to have. It was a gift, and I kind of didn't understand it at first, until it was time to bathe the baby, and I started freaking out about putting him in that tub. This is for sponge bathing a newborn. You put them on the sponge and go to town sponge bathing them. It's comfortable for everybody, and you are able to keep them soft and warm in that phase where you aren't supposed to get the bellybutton wet.

Miracle Blanket- Neither of my babies were intense with swaddles. They both got too hot. But most people swear by swaddles. Of course, I learned how to swaddle at the hospital, and I must say that trying to swaddle a swaddling blanket is more difficult that trying to fill out a tax return. Mine were always disheveled, not tight enough, and came undone in five minutes. I decided to try the Miracle Blanket since it had so many rave reviews, and I really liked it. It takes a few minutes to learn to tie, but it worked really well, and it kept Vivi snug and tight in her swaddle. The only downside was that it was nearing summer in Florida, and she just was getting too warm in any swaddle. But if you are going to swaddle, this one is good.

Kimono shirts- I mean seriously, WHY do they make real, cute clothes for newborns? You don't need that crap. It's not like you're visiting the Queen with a newborn. Stay inside and keep it simple. The side-snapping kimono shirts are the bomb. Mainly because trying to fit a onesie over a newborn baby's head is scarier than prison life (I'm only guessing here). 

 Boon lawn drying rack // twig rack accessory // flower rack accessory // Medela pump // soothies gel pads // Avent bottles // breast milk storage bags // boppy // nursing cover

Boon lawn drying rack- Unless you are going to nurse exclusively for an entire year and never ever untether the baby (which is cool, if that's your jig), you will have to use bottles at some point. Which means you will need some kind of drying rack. This is the cutest, best drying rack, and I love it so much. Not only is it practical and more useful than old-school racks, but it is adorable and chic-looking (well, as chic as things get in the bottle accessories game) on the counter. My nemesis is a cluttered kitchen counter, and this looks great up there. Bonus- you can buy these adorable flower and twig attachments to add space and versatility to your rack :)

Medela Pump- Unless you are going to nurse completely exclusively (again, totally fine), you will probably want some kind of pump. Promise me you won't even entertain manual pumping. It's the worst, unless you are in a bind. Get an electric double pump. It will be worth its weight in gold. Medela is the best, but Avent also makes a good one.

Soothies gel pads- These are good for sore, swollen, bloody nips. Yum.

Avent bottles- There are a hundred different bottles and teats out on the market, and we tried a couple of them. These were a winner for us. They are a good size, they aren't impossible to clean, and they don't leak.

Lansinoh storage bags-If you're pumping, don't forget the storage bags so you can freeze your liquid gold. But make sure you use all the frozen milk before your baby is too old to drink it. Oopsie.

Boppy-The Boppy is great for both nursing and bottle feeding, and my friends tell me it's key if you've had a C-section. It also makes a good little prop, plus it's a good way to ease into tummy time.

Hooter Hiders nursing cover- I honestly don't have an opinion on nursing in public, because the sight of a bare breast doing its job doesn't bother me in the least. But seeing nipples does bother a lot of other people. While I'm all for the right to breast feed open in public places, I'm even more for the courtesy of not making others feel uncomfortable. I really liked this nursing cover because it is light and has a pliable wire in the top (so you can look down at your baby), and I also liked the clean, gender-neutral print of it. 

Huggies Overnights // sound machine // aden + anais muslin blankets // Miracle Blanket // Jenny Lind crib // aden + anais sleep sack // crib sheets // LED night lights // Rockabye Baby

Huggies Overnights- Is it just me, or are little boy babies the WORST about soaking through a diaper in the middle of the night? And not just the diaper, but the pajamas, and the sheets, and the mattress protector, all the way down to the mattress. Bobby came out of the womb wetting through his diapers. I thought something was wrong with him for a couple of months. Finally, I tried Huggies Overnights, and we've never looked back with either baby. I buy them in a size up from whatever my kids wear in the day time (they are both currently wearing size 4 daytime diapers, so I use size 5 overnight diapers), so that they are extra big and can hold overnight. We almost never have the first issue anymore. They're amazing. My only gripe is that the smallest size they make is size 3 (which means you can start using them when your baby is wearing a daytime 2). I'd have bought them in fetus-size if they'd made them.

Sound Machine- They say the baby comes out kind of freaked out by quiet, which makes sense, as the inside of mama's body is awfully loud. Doctors and nurses swear by white noise and shhushing, and I tend to agree. I mean, I even sleep better with some white noise. So this white noise machine is a must in Bobby's room to this day.

Aden+Anais muslin blankets- If you're a mom, you have to have a set of these all-purpose, muslin blankets. I'm pretty sure that's a rule.

Miracle Blanket- See Newborn board.

Jenny Lind crib- If you are looking for a traditional looking, gender neutral, price conscious crib, then this is your man. We even have the attachments to make it a toddler bed in the future. I love that it has an old-school vibe to it, can go in a boy or girl nursery, and can go with literally any decor.

Aden+Anais sleep sack- Once your baby grows out of the swaddle, is still too young for a true blanket, but is too cold for pj's alone, try a sleep sack. Bobby loved this one, as it gives the comfort and sensation of a blanket, but it is light and airy, and reduces chances of SIDS.

Land of Nod crib sheets- Land of Nod has THE cutest and most fun crib sheets. They're fun to mix and match, and are way cooler than plain white ones.

LED night lights- Night lights are important in our house for two reasons. 1) They comfort my kids. 2) They keep me from breaking my neck in the middle of the night. These LED ones are awesome- they are light sensitive, and you don't have to replace a bulb.

Rockabye Baby- One thing I told myself when I found out I was pregnant was that I was not going to listen to Mickey Mouse radio and sing "The Wheels on the Bus" til I'm blue in the face. And so far, so good. Instead, Alex and I prefer to listen to classic rock, and at this point (about 2 years in), Bob doesn't seem to know that the annoying kids music exists. When he was a baby, we used to rock him and listen to Rockabye Baby, which is a collection of classic rock music made into lullabyes. It's literally lullabye music, no singing. And sometimes it takes a minute to figure out what song is on (which can make a fun game when you and husband are bored and sleep deprived). They make a whole bunch of different versions with different artists, but our favorites are Led Zeppelin and Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Baby Trend travel system // City Mini single // Snap n Go // Graco tandem // Mountain Buggy Terrain // City Mini Double 

*Ok, there are a gazillion different strollers for all kinds of different needs and situations and family makeups. These are just some models that I have either personally encountered or have friends who are so obsessed with them that I feel like I own it myself. If you would like a more comprehensive stroller guide, check out Lucie's List articles here and here. Also there are good car seat suggestions there. You'll notice I didn't include car seats, because I haven't found any I'm truly over-the-moon about.

Baby Trend travel system- This was the first stroller I got, because I didn't know what I would or wouldn't need. I thought I wanted a jogging stroller, but I didn't jog enough to commit to a legit, expensive jogging stroller. This is a travel system, so it comes with the infant car seat, car seat base, and stroller. You can click the infant car seat into the stroller while you have a newborn, and then you can use the regular stroller seat when it's a little older. As far as jogging strollers go, it's fine. If you are a legitimate jogger/runner, then get a real jogging stroller. If you are talking about jogging to the mailbox or down the street for a couple of minutes, then this will be totally fine. Pros include a massive storage basket beneath, the kid's tray + mama tray (both with cupholders), and the ipod connection with speakers. Cons include that it's a little big and clunky, but it's not the most ridiculous I've seen, either. If you are buying your own, you only want to jog sometimes, and you are trying to cut costs, then I think this stroller set is pretty good for the money.

Baby Jogger City Mini single- This is a great single stroller. It's just like my double stroller, but with one seat instead of two. It's easy to maneuver, and it's petite. At first, I thought that an infant had to have an infant seat in a stroller (it does have an adapter you can buy if you are hell-bent on using your carseat in it), but now that I'm past that stage, I know that you can totally get away with putting an infant in this from the get-go. Just lean the seat all the way back and tuck a blanket around the baby for some padding and support. The only con is that the storage basket underneath isn't the hugest I've seen. All in all, if I had to do it all over again, I'd have gotten this single stroller from the beginning.

Snap n Go- Again, so much of this depends on context and lifestyle. This stroller is great for running quick errands when you have a sleeping baby in an infant seat. It's also great for airports and places where you need to take the infant seat with you (carrying an infant seat around everywhere is for the birds). But it can only be used for an infant seat, although it is universal fitting. Unfortunately, though, after your baby outgrows that, it's pretty useless. If you are considering one of these, I would buy it on Craigslist instead of brand new.

Graco Ready 2 Grow Click Connect- this is a tandem stroller that puts two kids front/back instead of side-by-side. It has a lot of configurations, and it's good for a newborn and a toddler (you can click in an infant seat and then use the regular seat later on). A pro is that it has many options and uses, and it is pretty price-friendly. A con is that it feels like you are driving a damn bus. It's really heavy, and I found it a little difficult to steer.

Mountain Buggy Terrain- This is the stroller Liz has, so I'm not even going to pretend I use this to do all my running (I think we all know better). But if I were a runner, I would get this simply based on Liz's glowing reviews of it. It's for a serious runner, not just the occasional jogger who may want the Bob jogger. Kids can sit more upright in this and see out versus the reclined position of the Bob. The handle is easily adjustable for all heights and requires no hardware. It folds up flat, and it has good breaks.

City Mini Double- Ah, this is my best friend. This is the best double stroller I've come across, and I've done a lot of research on this (remember, it depends on your lifestyle, though). It is just like the City Mini regular, but it's double. It's surprisingly still really petite, and I do not feel overwhelmed at all. It's really easy to maneuver-- as in, I can completely steer it with one hand. It's smooth as silk, it can get in any door I've ever come across, and I can fold it up in one motion. It's honestly easier to fold up that the Baby Trend single jogger I had (the first stroller mentioned). The ONLY cons are that it doesn't come with a tray for mom up top (although you can buy that separately), and that, like the City Mini Single, the storage basket isn't huge. But I've heard you can still fit like 4 bottles of wine in it.

 play gym // teething keys // Sophie // Bumbo // Baby Einstein Take Along Tunes // teething necklace // soft book // rattle ball // squeeze blocks // little board books // jumperoo

Baby Einstein play gym- Bobby and Vivi loved this thing for months when they were little. I've let them play with other ones at friends' houses, and they haven't been interested in the least. They specifically like this one, and the only reason I can figure is that they are really into the blinking star that plays music at the top. I hope it doesn't have any long term effects like epilepsy or anything. Kidding. Sort of.

Nuby teething keys-These are perfect for teething, because you stick them in the freezer, and the gel part gets cold and hard. That's not revolutionary or anything, but I like the keys particularly because they are slim enough to actually fit in a baby's mouth. A lot of the other shapes of frozen teethers are good in theory but couldn't fit in my kids' mouths. Bobby still sometimes carries them around when he's driving his Cozy Coupe, just for shits and giggles.

Sophie the Giraffe- You have to have Sophie. No explanation needed.

Bumbo seat- This is one that I feel like people are either really for or really against. Some people say they never ever used theirs. I personally did with both my babies. They sat in it a ton for months until they could sit alone. I have the tray that attaches, and I even have used it as a high chair in a pinch. But both kids loved this when they were babies; they liked sitting up, and I liked having one more place to put them.

Baby Einstein take along tunes- I don't know why this is so popular in my house, but it is. It was Bobby's favorite toy. Now Vivi loves it, but Bobby seems to have some issues letting go, because he frequently steals it from her and gets really possessive. No idea why. Maybe he's just really into Mozart.

Jelly Strands teething necklace- Vivi likes it when I let her play with this. It's gummy and good for them to chew on, but it's fashionable enough acceptable to wear in public.

Who's in the Sea soft book- It says it is out of stock online, but you can find this in any Carter's store. It's soft and cute and fun for traveling.

Oball Rattle- Both my babes loved these balls, because the holes make it easy for their fat little fists to grab, and the rattles make noise and keep things interesting.

B. Toys soft squeeze blocks- This is a great set of blocks for a larger age group. First of all, they're soft rubber, so they're great for a baby to play with (no splinters), and they're a good size for a baby to grab one-at-a-time. Toddlers still like them, though, because you can build fun stuff knock down mama's towers.

Board books- I love these little board books. They're made from recycled material, and they are the perfect size for Vivi's chubby little hands to grab. They're about 4 pages thick, so it's not a novel or anything, but they're really cute for a baby to look at (and chew).

Fisher Price Jumperoo- Gotta have the jumperoo. It is obnoxious and leaves a huge footprint, but damn, it's worth it to see a baby jump and entertain herself even for a minute. Luckily, I usually get a good 30 minutes out of this thing. Sometimes longer.

Lysol wipes // masher bowl // Make My Day fun silicone bibs // Baby Bjorn silicone bibs // Ikea highchair // silicone spoons // silicone freezer tray

Lysol wipes- I'm not kidding. This is the first thing you need, because feeding a baby table food is an absolute shit show. We get these sent in bulk along with the diapers every month from Amazon on auto. I couldn't live without these, because there are some messes that dish towels and paper towels can't touch.

NUK bowl and masher set-This is great for mashing foods that are already a bit soft (cooked foods, bananas, avocados, etc).

Silicone Bibs- Dear Lord, seriously, SILICONE EVERYTHING when it comes to table feeding. These bibs are amazing. The ones by Make My Day come in a variety of colors, and they all have fun little things like bowties or pearls printed on them. The Baby Bjorn ones are also super cute. Either way, these are amazing because they have a huge pocket to collect the disgustingness treats for later, and they are all-silicone, so you can put them on the top rack of the dishwasher or just hose it down in the sink.

Ikea Antilop Highchair-We started off with a fabric highchair until I said f*#$ this noise. I was washing the fabric on it literally twice a day. It was disgusting. I got better things to do with my time. So I followed a friend's suggestion and tried this high chair from Ikea. I cannot rave enough about it. Now don't get me wrong, there are literally NO bells and whistles. Like zero. And that's the beauty of it. When it comes to puke and mashed peas, less is more. It's plastic, so you can just wipe it down with your Lysol wipes whenever you're done. Or hell, you can even take it out back and give it a good hose-down if things get really fun. Best part of this? Drumroll, please. This whole high chair costs less than $20. Why you would get an expensive fabric chair when you can have the ease and simplicity of this is beyond me. Plus, I like that it isn't too baby-looking. It's simple and neutral, so it's not an eyesore, and it doesn't leave a big footprint.

Silicone Spoons- These aren't anything life changing; I just prefer the silicone spoons to the other options. I also really love these spoons. They aren't the flexible silicone, but the spoon basin is very round and deep, which makes it great for keeping baby food on the spoon and not dripping off.

Silicone Freezer Tray-These are important if you are making your own baby food. You may think "why can't you just use regular ice cube trays?" Well, you can, but then you're gonna have a bitch of a time getting just one out, because regular trays are made from tougher plastic. The silicone in these bends easily, making it easy to pop just one out. Plus, these trays are much larger than the cavity of a regular ice tray, so you can make bigger portions.

mobile // bottle brush // dishwasher basket // the mommy hook // nosefrida // thermometer // changing pad // inglesina fast chair // baby tub

Fisher Price Rainforest mobile- This mobile has all the bells and whistles--different classical sounds, rainforest sounds, a light, and movement that rivals Disney animatronics. With that said, we crib trained both our kiddos a little later on, and they didn't use the mobile for very long. But this is a good one, if you think your baby needs a mobile.

OXO bottle brush- It's best to get a separate bottle brush for bottles (don't even get me started on kitchen germs and sinks and stuff. Woof). These have a separate bottle brush, a great regular size brush, and a stand, so you don't go mixing the fancy dish brushes with the common dish brushes ;)

Dishwasher basket-If you are going to be washing bottles and toys in the dishwasher (which is where I do 95% of my bottle washing), you'll need a basket. The bigger the better, in my humble opinion.

The Mommy Hook- If your stroller doesn't have a big basket underneath, or if you've got a lot of baggage to carry, this is awesome to put on your stroller bags to hold groceries, purses, etc, etc. It's padded, and it's really strong.

Nosefrida- Okay, there aren't a lot of things that I am so passionate about that I would sell it door-to-door. But this is one of them. First of all, the traditional nasal bulbs are disgusting and painful to fit in a baby's nose. I mean really, how do you even begin to clean that? This solves all life's problems. It's the Nosefrida Snot Sucker, and it is AMAZING. It sounds gross, but I swear it's not in the least. There are a lot of barriers to ensure that the baby's snot doesn't get in your mouth. Bear with me here. It isn't going to happen. No snot for you. Lots of snot in the snotsucker. Bobby was the snottiest baby on God's green earth, and I used this 6x a day for his first 6 months. Now I only need to use it when Vivi has a cold, but man is it amazing. Please, for all that is good and pure in this world, make sure this is on your baby registry.

Braun Thermometer- This is a really good ear thermometer that we like a lot. The only one I have found that is more accurate is a rectal thermometer, which is great for an infant, but not so great for your thrashing toddler. Or yourself. Not that I've tried.

Inglesina Fast Chair- This is a nifty little gadget. It's not 100% necessary, but I do love it. We used it all the time in Japan, where seating for babies could be spotty at best. Here, restaurants are a lot more accommodating of babies, so we don't use it as much, but I do pull it out occasionally in public when places have run out of high chairs. We mainly keep it in the car for traveling. It's great for using at my mother-in-law's house when we go visit. It clamps to any table-like surface, so you can even use it on your kitchen counters at your own house.

Fisher Price 4-in-1 tub-This is a good little tub that can grow with your baby, plus it isn't obnoxiously printed.

wubbanub // Ergo // Huggies Overnights // Rock n' Play // nosefrida // City Mini double // Boon lawn drying rack // Canon 60d // ikea high chair // Baby Einstein take along tunes // swing

These are all the items that we have found to be most worth the money. And I would gladly replace any of these if needed. That's how much we love them. 

*The Wubbanub has been great for both babies. 

*Huggies Overnights are amazing.

*Both of our babies slept by our beds in the Rock n' Play for months.

 *I have 4 Nosefridas (one in every bathroom, and a spare for travel).

*I could write an epic poem about the double stroller.

*This fun drying rack makes me smile everyday.

*I am grateful for the pictures I get to keep for a lifetime on our DSLR.

*The plastic, cheap high chair is the only way to do mealtimes. 

*And that swing, oh that swing..that swing has kept everyone alive.

I'm sure I've left a ton out, but these are the highlights from the baby gear in our house. 

What's on your list?

Happy Monday!

Keep on keepin' on!

-Annette