A Week of Sundays: Day 3 | Our Must Have Products for Baby's First Year, pt. 2

Welcome to Day 3 of A Week of Sundays!

Yesterday I shared the practical products that we think all new parents should be armed with before baby arrives. Today I am sharing another list of items that really helped us out and may or may not help you out as well. Depending on your lifestyle and your sweet baby's preferences, the items below may be jackpot first-year-lifesavers for you or they may not. But we both agree they are all definitely worth the time and money it takes to at least give them a try!

1. Didymos Ring Sling

Hands down, my favorite investment for the first 6 months of Sunday's life. You all know I love this thing. For more info, read my reviews here and here. (I love it so much I wrote about it twice!)

2. Boba Baby Carrier 3G

This is another carrier we love. Tommy especially enjoys it because it is a little more structured, it has much less of a learning curve, and he likes the colors, too. :) I started using it more often when Sunday was about 6 months old because it was super fast to click on and go when we were out in public. I enjoy it just as much as my ring sling and I am glad we had them both around this year.

3. California Baby Super Sensitive Shampoo & Bodywash

Sometime around the time we started bathing Sunday more regularly (as in more than once every 5 days), my mom bought us a large bottle of this stuff. I LOVE it. I know this is going to sound weird, but I really love the smell of it. It's actually unscented but it just smells so fresh and clean. It's super safe for baby's skin and I used it both as a bubble bath and a body/hair wash. It lasted us all the way up until about a week ago! It's a bit pricey so add it to your registry if you can. I am hoping my mom will gift us some more for Christmas. :)

4. Organic Baby Food Pouches

I really didn't expect to use these as often as I do - but they are awesome! These organic food pouches are truly made with only organic foods. No chemicals, no food dyes. And they are so convenient. I always have 2 or 3 in Sunday's diaper bag in case we have a change of plans at the last minute (story of my life). They are a little pricey so I try to only plan to use them while we are traveling and of course they come in handy as an emergency diaper bag food too. I'd use them all the time if Sunday didn't ever have to learn how to chew real food. But you know, I would like her to be a functioning person in society some day. :)

5. Manhattan Toys (Skwish Classic and Whoozit)

LOVE these toys! They are super versatile - and made to last longer than the average toy both in quality and product. The Baby Whoozit is awesome because one side is black and white striped - perfect for the just-days-old baby - and the entire toy will function as a great car pillow for the traveling older child. All the fun stuff that hangs off of it (rattles, squeaky toys, etc) is just icing on the cake that helps entertain any child from newborn to 3 years at least. I definitely support spending the extra dollars for these toys!

6. Schylling Sock Monkey

Sunday loves her sock monkey and I know she's not the only one because Cracker Barrel currently has a massive Sock Monkey display set up just in time for the holidays. I think the trend is returning! Tommy originally bought Sunday a sock monkey as the start of a tradition. He wanted it to be something between him and her - Daddy buys the Sock Monkey stuff for Sunday. We love that they are timeless and we will probably be able to always find some sort of sock monkey to add to a collection in the future. It helps that she loves the two that she has already!

7. Munchkin Disposable Bibs

Tommy and I joke that we are probably the only family in the world that uses cloth diapers but disposable bibs! Hah. But these have been a lifesaver for us when we eat out. We eat out at restaurants regularly and I was not that great at pulling out and cleaning Sunday's bibs after every meal. When I saw my sister in law using these genius bibs with Sunday's cousin, Lora, I went out and bought a box right away! They come in a box of about 30 and we aren't even halfway through them yet (we eat out at least once a week). They are super convenient, they have a little pocket at the bottom, and I can ball them up and pile them with our dirty napkins at the end of the night! So nice.

8. Graco Bumper Jumper (with tray!)

Just say no to the Johnny Jump Up. Sunday was able to sit up/stand in this jumper comfortably as early as 2 and a half months and she LOVED it! If I waited until she fit into the Johnny (Jenny) Jump Up - well - we would never have used it. By the time she did fit into that brand of jumper, she was no longer interested in jumping. Plus it just looks uncomfortable. So, if you are interested in getting a jumper for your baby I would highly suggest this Graco one over all the others. We didn't use the tray much - but it was nice to have to put a toy on if she was especially fussy.

9. Sensio 13330 Bella Cucina 12-Piece Rocket Blender

Once Sunday started eating real food, I got tired of blending 3 meals a day and washing the blender every single time. Fast. Okay, the truth is, I didn't wash it all that often. Which meant that sometimes she just got crackers to nibble on because I was lazy. I finally ran out to WalMart and bought a $20 blender system similar to this one. I figured if it didn't last that long, I could return it. And if it DID last a while, it was definitely worth the $20 I'd pay for it.

I'm so glad I bought it because I LOVE this thing! The best part is I'll blend up a concoction of food and since I'm only blending one serving at a time, it's okay if Sunday doesn't like it! I just toss it and try a new combination. It no longer has to be this big process of making a huge batch and washing the blender and yadda yadda.

In addition, I can use this non-baby-specific-blender for MY needs as well. Like making smoothies! I make green smoothies with it regularly and I just drink them right out of the blending cup. So super convenient!

By the way - I cannot for the life of me find another way to get Sunday to eat her greens except by blending them into things. I don't think she likes the cold of smoothies in her mouth because I have tried just about every combination of her favorite fruits (even without the greens) and no dice. So I feed her a soupy dish at least once a week with some greens blended into it, but that isn't enough greens for her! Any suggestions?

10. Stork Craft Hoop Glider and Ottoman Set

I know a baby glider is kind of a "duh" item, but I really didn't know how much I was going to use this! It was mostly a furniture piece in my mind as we were setting up her nursery. You know, "And the glider will go there... (but-I-may-or-may-not-ever-use-it)"

In the beginning I was *gasp* too big to fit in it with all the pillow props necessary for our breastfeeding adventures (adventures is a nice word, challenges really is more like it). But eventually I needed less pillow support and I lost some weight and the glider became part of our routine. It's where we go when it's time to sleep. If we are in the glider and Sunday is being held and rocked, it is sleepy time. This has been a great routine for us especially because we otherwise do not have much of a routine around here, so we all really value our glider time.

So those are our favorite products! What was something YOU loved but didn't see on our list? I'd love for you to share in the comments so other moms can see your ideas!! 

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Don’t forget about the Goose Beary Shop Giveaway going on this week! hop over to check out the goods and submit your entry to win a cutie dolly!

Week of Sundays: Day 1 | Goose Beary Shop Giveaway! A Week of Sundays: Day 2 | Our Must Have Products for Baby’s First Year, pt. 1 A Week of Sundays: Day 4 | Things My Daughter Has Taught Me A Week of Sundays: Day 5 | A year in pictures A Week of Sundays: Day 6 | Things about Sunday Quinn I am thankful for A Week of Sundays: Day 7 | Sunday’s Birthday Party

A Week of Sundays: Day 2 | Our Must Have Products for Baby's First Year, pt. 1

Welcome to Day 2 of A Week of Sundays!

The first year of a baby's life can be full of challenges. But life has taught me the harder the challenge, the better the reward. If the challenges of carrying, delivering and then nurturing a baby were only as difficult as our culture suggests, there would never be second or third babies... am I right?! Being a mom has made my life better than ever and I love, love my new role despite the struggles that come along with it. Obviously we didn't (and couldn't!) do this alone. We have a wonderful support system in our lives and a lot of people who really love Sunday that have helped us out tremendously this past year. And as cheesy as this sounds, I am also going to credit some awesome products for helping to take some of the hard work off our shoulders as well. So, this is a shout out of thanks to the genius men and women (but mostly moms!) who make time in their busy schedules to invent and sell such practical items!

Tommy and I came up with a pretty large list of our "must haves" for the first year of a baby's life. Since I know all babies are different, I decided to split the lists into practical/generic and personal/convenient. Every item that made the following list is something Tommy and I found helpful for us and not dependent on Sunday's opinion. Or in other words, I tried to keep this list as generic as possible so as to help as many other new moms as possible. Stay tuned tomorrow for some more personal choices of products that helped make life more convenient for our family and our way of living.

These are the things we will definitely be keeping around (or purchasing updated versions) for the next Cook babe:

1. Chicco Keyfit 30 Infant Car Seat and Base, Adventure

Obviously a car seat is a newborn necessity. We loved our Chicco carseat for three big reasons:

1) The safety reviews were most excellent.

2) The big orange button near babies' feet that loosens the straps for easy removal. No fighting the seatbelt! No squeezing or tugging! We loved the convenience of being able to loosen and tighten the straps so easily. We'll never buy a car seat without this option!

3) It is both sturdy and light. I was surprised to handle other carseats of some of my friends babies and they really just felt like a cheaper plastic. I love how sturdy this brand of carseat is.

2. Angelcare Baby Sound Monitor

We opted out of a video monitor. The truth is, I really just didn't want to be obsessive about checking on Sunday. I knew the more I tried to know everything about every breath she took and every position she was in, the more I would stress myself out. I also believe in God's provision and that He would let me know if something needed my attention if my non-video monitor wasn't doing its job. I found a lot of peace in that.

We loved our Angel Care Monitor for the following reasons:

1) It would only come on on after being triggered by a sound. So as a brand new baby (at 2 weeks old Sunday moved into her own room), this was priceless. As an infant, Sunday made a lot of noises while she slept. The monitor would only come on after the first noise so if she wasn't really waking up (if it was just a fluke dream noise), I wouldn't hear anything. But if she was waking up and continued to make noises, I would hear her. This was such a huge relief that helped me sleep so much better at night, especially in the beginning!

2) It showed the temperature of her room. At first we thought this was a silly feature. However, as the seasons changed we became SO grateful for the thermometer. We have a space heater in her room and we could turn it on at her bedtime and by the time we were headed to bed we could adjust it as necessary based on the current temperature of her room.

3) It had the features and product quality of all the other monitors we researched. Nothing seemed to be missing from the list of obvious things we would want in a monitor (alarm if unplugged, temporary mute button, etc) and we don't have a single complaint about this monitor!

3. Carter's 4-Pack White Onesies

Sunday wore a white onesie almost daily! I'd put one on her as an undershirt to layer with other outfits, as light PJs or just as play clothes around the house. I really like them because they help us dress her comfortably in Virginia's fickle weather. These days we are layering long sleeved white onesies under summertime dresses that are too small. We just add a pair of jeans and she has a whole new outfit! The onesies help us get more wear out of her summer clothes during the winter and they also add a layer under PJs to help keep her cozy at night on cooler nights. They are super versatile and definitely gender neutral so we will be keeping them for the next baby as well! (We have long & short sleeves for each size up to 12 months.)

4. Ikea Antilop High Chair with Removable Tray

We loooove this high chair! I wanted it because I wanted a high chair that was easy to clean as well as aesthetically pleasing in my dining room. This high chair completely does its job and makes life easier on us all. There are no nooks and crannies to clean out and I have even put the entire seat in the shower to clean up big messes. I also LOVE that it is super light weight and we are constantly moving it around the house depending on where we are at the time. Probably not forming the best eating habits for Sunday (ideally I'd love to have her sit at the table for every single meal), but we're big on fitting Sunday into our lives and not changing everything we do to accomodate her. We give this high chair two thumbs up!

5. Graco Pack 'N Play On the Go Travel Playard

This is a pretty popular choice for a must-have product. I set our Pack n Play up in the living room when Sunday was an infant and she would lay in it and play daily until she started sitting up. Once she was sitting up and able to communicate to the dogs effectively (to leave her alone!), I'd let her sit on the living room floor and play there instead. Then the pack n play turned into a guest bed for little babies that come to visit us. It also goes with us every time we travel. We love it and definitely think of it as a first year necessity.

6. Fisher-Price Soothing Motions Glider (Swing)

We had no idea what to expect with a new baby and while we had heard a lot about baby swings, I really didn't want to spend the money on one and then never use it. But I picked this one up at a yard sale and I am SO GLAD I did! Sunday slept the best when she was in it as a newborn and it saved my sanity during those first few weeks of being a new mom. There are a lot of great swings out there but we loved this one for the following reasons:

1) It rotates so it can swing side to side or front to back. Some babies prefer one or the other, not both, so it's nice to have the option.

2) It is low to the ground. If Sunday accidentally happened to roll out of the swing, she wouldn't fall far. I know this is kind of ridiculous, but I really had peace about laying her in it as a baby even after she learned how to roll over. I knew she wouldn't get hurt and that was a great piece of mind for me.

3) It's big! She can still fit in it now at a year old! I don't let her use it, but she does fit. I can appreciate that the swing will outlast the baby.

4) We never once had to change the batteries and we used it constantly for just about the first three months.

5) It is easy to wash. The cover slips right off, I toss it in the wash and it slips right back on when it's all clean!

7. Amazon Mom Subscribe & Save - Seventh Generation Free & Clear Baby Wipes

I can't decide if I love the Amazon Mom Subscribe & Save option or if I love the wipes more. We get a regular shipment of the Seventh Generation Wipes and I love that they come in travel-size bags. I just grab one and toss it in the diaper bag as needed. This has been one of the most convenient products we use (and receive) and I will definitely continue receiving the shipments until I have no more kids left in diapers!

We also receive an additional Amazon Mom Subscribe & Save shipment of Huggies Natural Care Fragrance Free Baby Wipes. They come in much larger bags so we use them to refill the wipe bin in Sunday's room and save the Seventh Generation wipes for on-the-go.

8. Playtex Baby Trainer Cups

Sunday never did take a bottle. I was desperate to get her to drink out of something other than me, so I went through a lot of bottles and a lot of sippy cups. We ended up settling on Playtex cups because their lids are interchangeable between all of their cups. We have lids with straws, Step 1 sippy cup lids, and toddler sippy cup lids. We use them all and Sunday enjoys them all - finally. I love that they don't leak and they are all interchangeable. I highly recommend buying only Playtex cups for the versatility and high quality they offer. (Also, it's awesome that she can drink out of a straw at restaurants now!)

9. Safety 1st Tubside Bath Seat

This product is in all of Sunday's bath time pictures on Instagram and every time I post a picture someone asks me about this bath seat! We love it specifically because it is not secured by suction cups, but instead its "arm" locks to the side of the tub. So there is no flipping of the seat! The day we got this (I found it at a local consignment shop) Sunday played in the bath tub for almost an hour! We love, love this product. It's hard to find as now almost all the bath seats for sale have suction cups, but there are a few still out there on ebay and in consignment shops.

10. Fisher-Price: Flutterbye Dreams Lullabye Birdies Soother

It took me a long time to realize I should probably buy one of these to help Sunday get through the learning-to-fall-asleep-on-your-own phase. Finally one day I brought one home from a consignment shop and Sunday fell asleep for her nap without tears (or nursing!) for the first time ever. It changed our world! We will definitely have one for the next baby and will start using it much earlier in his or her life than we did for Sunday.

So those were the most practical products we used this past year. Tomorrow I am going to share some of the other products we splurged on and in retrospect are grateful for doing so. Some of them really did depend on Sunday's opinion but that doesn't mean your babe won't love them too!

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Don't forget about the Goose Beary Shop Giveaway going on this week! Hop over to check out the goods and submit your entry to win a cutie dolly!

Week of Sundays: Day 1 | Goose Beary Shop Giveaway! A Week of Sundays: Day 3 | Our Must Have Products for Baby’s First Year, pt. 2 A Week of Sundays: Day 4 | Things My Daughter Has Taught Me A Week of Sundays: Day 5 | A year in pictures A Week of Sundays: Day 6 | Things about Sunday Quinn I am thankful for A Week of Sundays: Day 7 | Sunday’s Birthday Party