Favorite Things Part I...

I was going to do a post of baby reviews over baby things, but there are just too many things. Looking around our house, we have sooo many baby things! So, I decided to compile a list of my favorite things as a new mom (like Oprah does her favorite things... except you won't get one of each just for reading about them). I'm sure I'll come up with more lists in months to come but here are my favorite things for months 1-5 (in no particular order). I had a very hard time narrowing it town to 10, so I tried to choose things that were useful in the very beginning and now. I even included a few visual aids:

1) Peanut Shell baby sling

I love my sling. I always thought the whole "baby wearing" thing just wasn't for me and I said I'd never do it but I ate those words. Putting Micah in the sling is so much easier than carrying around the car seat (especially since he is such a big baby). He loves it and I love having him close. I even use it around the house when he is being especially needy of attention and I need to get things done.

2) Bebe Au Lait nursing covers

Even though I am not nursing anymore, this is the modest nursing mother's must-have. Anytime I had to nurse in public, this was perfect. It is the perfect size, breathable (so it didn't bother Micah), so much easier to use than a blanket, discreet, and you can watch the baby while

3) Mylicon gas drops
What would we do without these? Micah really has been a dream child. He is rarely fussy without a reason. We found that most of his random fussiness was just because he was gassy. These drops always fixed that. We always put some in his bedtime bottle and sometimes we use them during the day if it seems like he has a tummy ache. The first night we used them in his bedtime bottle, he slept through the night... coincidence? I think not.

4) Boppy

I heard that these things were great before having Micah but I never would've thought I'd use it this much! Looking back, I have used my boppy almost every day. I had a very hard time nursing and it helped so much with comfortability. Since then, I use it to prop Micah up on his back or tummy and now we are using it to help him sit up. It is definitely a favorite!

5) Praise Baby

I don't like Micah to be in front of the TV too much but when I do put him there, it is so neat to have this on. It is visually stimulating to the sound of Praise music. I can be around the house getting things done singing along knowing that he is enjoying praise songs. Best of all, he loves it. He just sits there laughing, cooing, and drooling! It is so cute!

6) Petunia Pickle Bottom Cake Diaper Bag

This diaper bag is amazing! Not only is it super cute and can pass as a large purse, it holds EVERYTHING! It has tons of pockets and pouches inside (and you know I love to be organized) and it can be carried many different ways. I love it!

7) Petunia Pickle Bottom Swaddling blankets

These are my favorite swaddling blankets (and I have tried a lot) because they are big, stretchy, and thin. I can wrap him up nice and tight but he doesn't get hot. We have finally weaned him off the swaddle!

8) BOB Revolution Jogging stroller

This is the best stroller! It even has shock absorbers for bumps in the road! It provides such a smooth ride for Micah, he loves it! Right now, I can still click his car seat into it but soon he'll be able to sit in it by himself. David even loves getting out with it on the weekends. It is so easy to maneuver and super fun to push around.

**Awesome accessory to add to your jogging stroller: the strollometer to track distance, speed, etc. **

9) Maclaren Quest Sport Stroller

I know, I know, how many strollers does a mom need? Well, a few. This one is my most recent addition to the fleet and it is awesome! It is super light weight and perfect for traveling. It is also great for getting out and about. The best feature? It is an umbrella stroller with a full recline!

10) Rainforest Deluxe Gym
This is my favorite big toy/activity thing so far. Micah does love his swing, bouncy seat, jumparoo, and exersaucer and those are great things to have, but, this gym is wonderful. He spends time under it every day and he has since he was a newborn. When he was a newborn, he liked the music and lights. Now, he likes to grab some of the toys and look at himself in the mirror. This is an activity gym that will grow with him. It is developmentally stimulating and we can put him under there and not feel like we are just putting him down.