Baby List

I am no parenting expert, and there are a million of these lists out there. Every baby is different, but I just thought I would share the things I really loved/appreciated throughout the last three years.

Newborn to Six Months
1. Aquaphor. This stuff is amazing. I used it on everything - baby acne, scratches, diaper rash, dry skin. A big tub lasted TWO YEARS. It is essential.

2. Pacifiers. Every baby will prefer something different, some babies won't take any pacifiers. I was very grateful that my kids liked pacifiers, especially on long car rides. We preferred the Mam brand for our kids, and the cute designs were a big plus. I would also recommend getting a Wubbanub - because ADORABLE!

3. Sleep sacks/swaddles. Get whatever kind works best for you. Our hospital used Halo and that is what we used for Agatha, but we also got a Miracle Blanket for Oliver and loved it.

4. Footed pants. Baby socks do not stay on baby feet - it's a fact of life. Save yourself the trouble and buy footed pants (or always dress them in sleepers!). These and these are cute.

5. Fisher Price Rock n' Play Sleeper. We got the bunny one (but ours didn't vibrate - that must be new) for Oliver and this thing was a life saver! He slept in it exclusively for the first few weeks, and then at nap time for almost six months. I loved it and have recommended it to everyone I know who is having/has had a baby recently.

Six to Twelve Months
1. Baby Led Weaning. Okay, this isn't a product, but I really recommend doing this. Our kids were such adventurous eaters (and one still is) and I really credit Baby Led Weaning (or BLW) with that. It was so nice to not have to spend extra money on baby food, we were able to just prepare the same food that we were eating and let the baby try it out on his or her own terms. I suggest getting the book and reading up about it.

2. Baby Bjorn bib. Whichever way you decide to start feeding your baby, you'll need a bib. I bought one of these for Agatha and we still use it every day for Oliver. I prefer it to any of the other bibs we have purchased. It catches everything, is easy to clean and strangers are constantly commenting on how much they wish they had one when their kids were younger.

3. B. Zany Zoo or any other activity cube. This is a really great, long-lasting toy. Both kids still play with it but they really loved it when they were learning to sit and pull themselves up. It's color scheme is not as garish as a lot of the other toys out there, too. This has pretty much lived in my living room for the last three years.

4. Books. At this age, my kids were into books they could interact with, so the Usborne Touchy Feely books and Dear Zoo were big hits.

One to Two Years
1. Boon Swig Sippy Cup. I have purchased approximately eight trillion sippy cups. This one is the best, in my opinion. It doesn't leak, it's easy to hold, there's not a million parts, it's kind of like a bottle - WINNER.

2. Play kitchen. It doesn't matter what kind. ours is a plastic stove my mom picked up at a garage sale. Would I like something nicer - sure, this works fine. The important thing is the pots, pans, spoons and pretend food. Every home needs a pretend kitchen.

3. Books. Books. Books. I like to get our books from library sales or the clearance shelf at Half-Price
Books. I have found some amazing books there. I also like to buy books I loved as a child, it's so fun to share them with my kids now. I could do a whole post on amazing kids books.

4. Water table. Again, it doesn't matter what kind. We have this one.  My kids love water and this is a great way to spend time in the sun and let them get as wet and crazy as they want.

Two + Years
1. Play-Doh. Make your own or buy the real stuff. It's a classic for a reason. Agatha is also SUPER into watching You Tube videos of adults playing with Play-Doh. Yes, that's a thing.

2. Endless Alphabet (and Endless Numbers and Endless Reader). This app has entertained Agatha a lot. And I feel no shame in that because it is educational and awesome. And adorable.

3. High Five magazine. Agatha is so excited to get her magazine in the mail each month, and it usually has pretty cute stories in it. She especially like the "That's Silly!" pages and the hidden pictures.

4. Bollie Ladybug Bubbles. This wand was super easy for Agatha (and Oliver!) to hold and she actually managed to blow bubbles from it. It might be appropriate for younger kids, but she didn't get the hang of it until this summer.

Do you have anything to add?