We have finally made it to the one year mark, and I officially feel like I know what we products we loved, hated, wished we had, or we could do without.
Rather than reinventing the wheel I have simply updated my original registry post and added or removed any items we’ve loved or stopped using. So head over to my original Minimalist Registry for Modern Babies post to see my 12 month list.
Enjoy!
At six months old, Olivia is getting bigger and more mobile so I figured it was time to share another roundup of products that she loves, hates, or used to hate but now loves. Babies am I right?
Rather than reinventing the wheel I have added UPDATE comments to each of the products we've been using since day one. So head over to my original Minimalist Registry for Modern Babies post to see our 6 month comments.
I plan to do another update at 9 months and then 12 months to review some of the items she hasn't started using yet like her eating untensils. Or to see if she changed her mind about anything she once didn't like (like her Mamaroo). Stay tuned!
Now that we have been in the thick of parenting for a solid three months. I have been asked a lot about which baby products we actually use, which ones were a waste of money, and what we bought after she was born that we wish we would have registered for.
Rather than reinventing the wheel I have added UPDATE comments to each of the products we've been using since day one. So head over to my original Minimalist Registry for Modern Babies post to see our 3 month comments.
I plan to do another update at 6 months and then 12 months to review some of the items she hasn't started using yet like her high chair. Or to see if she changed her mind about anything she once didn't like (like her Mamaroo). Stay tuned!
As soon as we found out that we were expecting #yourmodernbaby, I was excited but also overwhelmed at all of the gear that babies supposedly need. There are toys and bounceroos and all kinds of things that I A. had never even heard of and B. had no idea what they even did.
Our house is just under 1300sf and the nursery is about 120sf, so we knew that we didn't want a lot of "stuff" for the baby. Just the bare necessities. But we also wanted the best of the best for our budget. Enter my Type A spreadsheet loving personality.
I researched every type of stroller that ever existed and even watched an hour long youtube video comparing 15 different diaper brands. I know. I'm a crazy person. But doing this allowed me to feel confident in the fact that each product we will use with ourt little one was hand selected for a reason. Also, with us both being designers obviously the products we chose had to be not only functional but also beautiful. The aisles and aisles at Babies R' Us (RIP) give me hives with all of the patterns and colors and lights and noises and overstimulation. I get it. Babies need lots of color and need to be stimulated, but in moderation.
* UPDATE * Rather than having multiple posts with our 3 month, 6 month, 12 month, etc. updates, I have decided to compile all of our go to baby items here on the original registry post. As we use or don't use items I will add or remove them as needed with my latest opinion under each item’s description. (last update: 2 years postpartum)
Hello Bello Diaper Cream | Due to my incredibly sensitive skin we wanted to use an all natural baby diaper cream. We tried several competitors, but this was the only thing that did the trick when Olivia (rarely) had diaper rash. We have even used it on her neck when she would have raw patches under all of her rolls, and all the irritation was always gone within 24 hours. I also like that it doesn’t smell like chemicals, and smells kind of like vanilla extract ha.
Quantity: we’re still working on the original 4oz bottle we’ve been using from day one.
Hello Bello Diapers | As I mentioned earlier I watched an hour long video testing several diapers and Honest passed all the big guys with flying colors. We also wanted to go the organic route because of the use of natural ingredients rather than chemicals, and we just couldn't fathom contributing to the already overflowing landfills. As it turned out, everyone gave us so much flack for our organic wipes and diapers, but let me be the first to say this. We used the provided Huggies diapers and wipes in the hospital and Olivia immediately had a rash and lots of redness. When we got home and switched to our Honest Co. Diapers and wipes, she never had a rash again. These diapers fit great and she barely ever had blowouts (now that I actually know what those leg cuffs are for ugh..) Fast forward to when Hello Bello products were introduced! They sounded just as good (if not better) than Honest diapers so we decided to give them a whirl. To us they perform exactly the same as Honest but are a fraction of the price! They also have a subscription service and super cute patterns which makes diaper changing more exciting, and you get to avoid late night diaper runs.
Quantity: You go through about 10 diapers a day (I know.) So we registered for 10 boxes (about 80 diapers each) of size NB, 1, 2, and 3. The best part is you can easily exchange unopened diapers to Target for different sizes as your baby grows.
Ubbi Diaper Pail | This guy came highly recommended because it keeps the stink out and it's oh so pretty. It comes in a zillion colors but we love all things white and sleek. After using it for a year I can safely say that it holds a ton of diapers and it's super easy to take the bags in and out. Most importantly, its metal rather than plastic which definitely helps to keeps the smell out. And bugs. Old house problems.
Ubbi Wipes Dispenser | This was not on our original registry, but we purchased one around 6 months and holy cow is this a game changer. I seriously thought that wipes dispensers were for bougie people who didn't want to see the ugly wipes packaging. Little did I know how difficult wipes are to remove from their packaging without removing 5,000 at once. This dispenser has a weight that holds down all of the wipes dispensing one at a time like magic. Love it. Never looking back.
OXO Travel Wipes Dispenser | We didn’t have this until probably the 6 month mark but holy cow does it make our lives easier. Rather than hauling around an entire pack of wipes I can bring this slim guy with me and it dispenses wipes one at a time rather than pulling out 100 at once.
Logan + Lenora Portable Changing Mat | This thing is so great. It's wipeable, folds down really small to easily fit in the diaper bag, and doesn't have any extra bells and whistles. It also comes in several different cute patterns. We even use it in the public restroom baby changer things because ew.
Hatch Baby Grow Changing Pad + Scale | This is one of those wish-we-would-have items. While we’re still using a traditional changing pad, covers, and liners we would have much rather gone this route. I don't know why I thought something with changeable covers was a good idea. You have to change them All. The. Time. Had I known this I would have definitely opted for a rubber changing pad like a Keekaroo or the Hatch Baby Grow which would also allow us to track our baby's weight, and is synced to an app on your phone. This would have been SO helpful throughout Olivia’s first year as we have always struggled with her weight and this would have helped us track it better and see her progress. I guess the price tag scared me, but honestly with the changing pad, covers, and liners it ends up being the same but with more headache. Learn from my mistake!
Baggu Dirty Bags | We use these for dirty diapers, dirty clothes, bibs, basically anything we don't want to touch clean things in the diaper bag. They are washable and easily fold up small when empty. Also pro tip: If there isn't a trashcan nearby when you're changing a diaper (or even if there is) put the dirty diaper in a dog poo bag and tie it up to lock in the stink and prevent it from getting on anything (or stinking up the joint).
Hello Bello Baby Wipes | This was another hour long youtube video where I watched a mommy demo several different brands of wipes and technically Honest came in second place behind Water Wipes, but I read that Water Wipes dry out over time, and Honest lasts until you open them. This way we were able to stock up on wipes as we all know you just blow through them. We received Honest, Seventh Generation, and Parasol Co. wipes and have since tried all three brands. The Seventh Gen wipes would always come out five at a time, and they just felt kind of soapy. The Parasol Co. wipes are super super soft and smell like cucumbers and aloe but are much more expensive. The Honest wipes are thinner (which I love), and are super strong and have a nice texture on them that make them feel more like a washcloth. THEN once Hello Bello came out with their like of products we immediately tried their wipes because (just like the diapers) sounded the same if not better than Honest for a fraction of the price. So we fell in love and never looked back. We still use them to this day even at 3 years old for cleaning up after dinner, crafts, etc.
Quantity: Unlimited ; ) Seriously.
Mamaroo Infant Seat | I have mixed feelings about this thing. For the first 3 months Olivia absolutely hated it. She could care less about the movement, and the white noise options aren't what she's into (shout out to her BFF the vacuum), and aren't loud enough. That being said, I also know a ton of babies who love it. From about 3 months - 9 months she loved it. I stopped using it at about 9 months as she was way too mobile and could sit up on her own (which is when it recommends to discontinue use). At about 5 months She actually hulked out and ripped the mobile right off the stand, so I had to remove that part before she hurt herself lol. It was nice to corral her in when I needed free hands. But honestly so is a Rock and Play and a LOT less money. I would honestly opt that route if you’re on the fence. We borrowed a friends for the first 3 months and she loved it. We didn’t even use the fancy pants one.
Skiphop Explore Activity Center | We bought this for her when she was about 3 months old and haven't looked back since. We try to limit her time to about 40min a day in it as it's not going to teach her to roll over or to sit up. But it does improve her hand eye coordination and motor skills. She also just loves "standing" and she has already mastered all of the activities on it. I can even say "pop your owl" and she will look at me, smile, and then spin around and punch the leaf to make the owl pop up. When she first started using her activity center we were having to prop it up with books, but her little legs have grown enough that she can free stand in it now and she loves to maniac dance for us when she gets really excited. She pretty much stopped caring about this at about 9 months (basically when she started really crawling and cruising), but I still use it to corral her when I need to unload groceries or go to the bathroom ha. Also I love that it grows with her and will eventually turn into a table for her to sit at. I’m so sad though because they came out with an even cuter version way after we bought this one. So please get the super cute one so I can live vicariously through you.
Lovevery Baby Gym | I literally cannot say enough about this product. Rather than me rambling on and on about how amazing it is you should just watch this video, which is what won me over. The best part about it is that it comes with a booklet with ways to use each part of the gym and it's activity zones for each month for your baby's first year. Olivia didn't care anything about toys or grasping until we got this thing and seriously the next day she was obsessed with the mobile on her Mamaroo and essentially broke it not soon after. I give most of the credit of her rolling over so soon to this thing. She started enjoying tummy time rather than crying, and she improved her motor skills tenfold. I just love that it grows with her as she gets bigger and more mobile, and then turns into a cute little tent! I seriously cannot recommend this product enough it is incredible. The same company started a monthly subscription of developmental toys that follow the same guidelines as this gym. I wish I would have known about these sets sooner and I seriously would have exclusively used their toys, they are just that good. Also, I love that everything is made of organic materials and FSC certified wood and it's colorful but not insanely distracting. Just a beautiful color pallet of watercolored patterns and textures.
Stokke Tripp Trapp High Chair | Obviously this chair is beautiful and a designers dream. But it's also super functional and will last from now until adulthood (and future bambinos). This chair adjusts as your child grows and allows them to sit with us at the table during mealtimes. We also have the tray and baby seat too. This highchair is super easy to wipe down, and looks beautiful with our breakfast table. We originally registered for the cushion, but soon returned it once we realized how hard it was to take on and off and no one wants to clean any more fabric than they already have to when food is involved. Olivia sits on her diaper anyway she doesn't need a cushion lol.
Beaba Cutlery Pack | I love that these are small with chunky handles which will be easy for her to grip when we get to that point. Still finger feeding!
Quantity: 1 set (6 spoons 4 forks)
Boon Orb Bottle Warmer | This guy is super user friendly with one button to push and simple instructions on how to heat bottles of various sizes or liquid types. You can even use it to heat baby food as your little one gets older. Plus I love how simple and clean the design is. It isn't a huge eyesore sitting on our kitchen counter. My only issue with this is that we can literally use the exact same amount of water to heat the exact same amount of milk and it will either be way too hot or still pretty cold. Very rare is it just right. But we just put the bottle under some cold water and it calms back down, but its kind of a pain. I wonder if it's because we use glass bottles? It works much better to heat up her baby purees in glass ball jars but they don’t have lids so maybe that’s why?
Beaba Snack Container | We use this on the daily for holding various snacks while we’re out and about. You can also use it for formula too (the top level has a little spout for easy pouring). It’s so funny because when I pull it out of her diaper bag, Olivia immediacy starts freaking out for it haha.
My Brest Friend | I had originally registered for the Bobby and ended up selling it ha. They had a Brest Friend nursing pillow at our Lactation Center and after using it once I was instantly hooked. It clips around you and can adjust to your waist size, and it gives Olivia a nice firm platform to lay on while she nurses. The cover zips off easily to wash too. Derek makes fun of me because it looks like I'm selling concessions at a baseball game or something haha. Breastmilk! Get your Breastmilk! What's funny is that I almost registered for the brest friend but everyone was like noooo the Bobby is bae. Save your sanity and skip the Boppy.
Beaba Suction Bowls | These are a must! They are perfect for purees, yogurt, cut up fruits and veggies, etc. They are microwave, freezer, and dishwasher safe. The suction doesn’t work thaaaaaat great on our Stokke tray (or we have a very skilled baby), but it works great on our table or the Ikea high chair tray that my parents have.
Quantity: 2
Boon Grass Bottle Drying Rack | This. Is. Everything. Especially at the very beginning when I was having to pump after every feeding to build up my supply. It corrals all of the pump parts, bottles, everything! Also it's super easy to clean. Although now that I found this skinnier version, I wish we would have gone that route because it would fit nicely behind the sink, rather than taking up counter space. I also wish I would have gotten it in white, but I didn't even know that was an option at the time.
Gerber Gauze Prefold Diapers (AKA our Burp Cloths) | So these are actually cloth prefold diapers, but they make great inexpensive burp cloths as well. They are so soft and easy to just toss in a bag for spit up emergencies. My only complaint is that we didn't ask for more. Skip the fancy burp cloths that will inevitably be covered in spit up upon contact. We probably went through 5 of these a day easily. Especially in the early days.
Quantity: 4 packs (trust me)
Ball Baby Food Jars | I absolutely love these for storing her purees. Yes you can get the cutesy jars marketed for babies, but I really like the minimalist design of these 4oz jars, and they are much cheaper than the others. Also these fit perfectly in our Boon Bottle Warmer.
Quantity: 1 pack of 4
OXO Tot Roll Up Bibs | I love how simple and clean the design of these are. There are so many silicone bibs with food pockets out there, but these seemed to be the most attractive to me. Also I love that the closure is velcro, which makes it super easy to use. These are amazing especially if you have the Tripp Trapp high chair. It’s like the bibs were made for this high hair. The pocket (we call it her trough) fits perfectly in the gap between her belly and the tray to collect everything she drops. Then when her plate is empty, she scoops everything out of her trough too! I also love that they roll up and clasp which makes them easy to throw into a bag on the go.
Quantity: We have 2 but we could really use 3 or 4 so that I’m not having to clean them multiple times a day.
Lifefactory Glass Bottles | We got these in the 4oz and 9oz bottles for now and when Olivia is able to drink more. They have sippy cup converters which will make these glass bottles last us a while. They also have caps to prevent spills when used as water bottles down the road. They come in really fun colors too! I love that they can transfer from cold to hot easily since they are glass (and BPA free!) and also the silicone sleeve makes them easy to grip (but is easily removable when washing). They have a traditional nipple rather than a more "realistic" one which made me a little nervous, but she's never really had any issues with nipple confusion. Just remember to swap out the nipples to size 2 as your little one grows (4 oz comes with size 1 and 9oz comes with size 2).
Quantity: 3 - 4oz bottles, 2 - 9oz bottles, 2 sippy caps, 2 caps
Bumkins Silicone Grip Dish | The tray on our high chair is rather small so it limited the types of plates and bowls we could use. I love how simple these silicone divided dishes are and they have a large suction on the bottom so that Olivia doesn't throw it across the room. While this suction is much bigger than her bowls, she can still slide it around on the Stokke tray, but its super strong on our table and Ikea high chair. I also love that these are microwave, freezer, and dishwasher safe.
Quantity: 2
Love To Dream Swaddle | This. Is. Everything. I truly believe this is the reason she has been sleeping 8-10 hours straight since she was 10 weeks old (now 12-13hours). When we first put her in her crib during sleep training she flailed a lot and her legs would get caught in between the crib rails which freaked us out. I started looking into sleep sack options and read great things about the LTD Swaddle. It hugs her tummy tight, encloses her legs in a sack, and forces her arms up by her face for self soothing. Once she was able to roll over we switched her to the LTD 50/50 Transition Swaddle, which took a couple days for her to adjust to, but now she loves it because she can easily roll over and use her arms if she needs to. But I would still recommend both of these products to anyone. It is my gift to all new mamas. It works that well.
Quantity: we bought 2 original swaddles + 1 transition swaddle, but if I could do it again I would just get 2 transition swaddles (and just leave the arms attached until she turned over)
Velcro Swaddles | It turned out Olivia was a little Houdini when it came to escaping from swaddles. She could bust out of any swaddle and any tightness. Even velcro swaddles eventually. Before we knew about the LTD Swaddle these were a lifesaver. We stopped using them for her at bedtime, but they were great when she was extra fussy to calm her down for a feeding during the first three months. And we didn’t have to worry about a bunch of extra fabric bunching up around her face as she wiggled her way out.
Quantity: 1 set of 3
Marpac Wish | Originally we didn't know how crucial a white noise machine would be for Oliva's sleep so we just used this Baby Shush App on an old iPad set to the vacuum option. Which got old pretty fast. After 6 months of almost 24/7 use the app started crashing a lot which turned the noise off and woke her up. So we finally found an actual sound machine with a noise similar enough to a vacuum (it's "dohm 3" incase your baby is also addicted to vacuums). We just LOVE it. It has 16 different sounds and a timer, but we just let it play all night long. It also has a meditative melody ("calm") which I use when she's feisty while nursing.
Spearmint Love Swaddles | While we never actually used these as swaddles (ninja baby), they make great blankets, nursing covers, sun shades, public high chair covers, etc. Plus I am obsessed with the cute patterns. They are nice and big and oh so soft but thin and airy which is perfect for living in South Texas.
Quantity: 3
Nanit Plus | We initially registered for the Angelcare Monitor w/ a motion sensor pad, but had no idea that Olivia would be such a wiggle worm and set the alarm off all. the. time. So we sold our original monitor and bought the standard version (which was a lot less expensive). The video display is great! It is very clear to the point where even at night in her pitch black room we can see if she is breathing. It also has the option to talk to her, which we haven't used yet because I think it would scare the living daylights out of her. THEN at about the one year mark we ended up selling our Angelcare Monitor to a friend and bit the bullet and purchased the Nanit Plus. I highly recommend the Nanit, and wish that we would have had it from day one but it was out of our budget at the time. It also comes with a wrap that monitors breathing and movement, and since it’s all wifi based you can check on your little one from any range. You can swap out the heads and travel with it so that you don’t have to worry about bringing the whole monitor system when you go to the grandparents’ house. We don’t pay for the insights now that she’s older, but definitely would recommend for when they are under one.
Crib | The crib just makes the room don't you think? We wanted something a little mid-century but classic and timeless in a natural wood finish. This way it will last for future babies down the road. This particular crib also converts to a toddler bed with a shorter removable railing, and then a daybed as they get older. It was also really easy to put together. We also registered for crib sheets in gender neutral patterns so that they would also work for future babies.
Quantity: 4 sets of crib sheets
Crib Mattress | We wanted something organic but not ridiculously expensive, which led us straight to this guy. It also has a built-in waterproof cover which is everything.
Honest Co. Overnight Diapers | We kind of thought these were just a marketing scam, but they are definitely worth the hype. Ever since putting Olivia in the overnight diapers at night she no longer wakes for night feedings. Magic. They feel a lot different when they are full, they still feel soft rather than hard so I think that's what helps keep her comfortable and dry. Hello Bello makes these too but we haven’t tried them yet because honestly the daytime diapers were fine overnight at the age we made the switch (about 18m)
Quantity: 3 boxes (you only use 1 per night)
Hooded Bath Towels + Washcloths | These towels are so great for bath time, even if we aren't washing her hair. They are nice and big and soft and we can bundle her up nice and snug. My only complaint is that we didn't ask for more. We bathe her every night so we now have three to rotate out so we aren't doing laundry every single day. I do kind of wish we would have just registered for simple white ones like these and these so that they matched our bathroom, but eh. We'll probably end up replacing at least the towels sooner than later because the animal ears are already falling apart.
Quantity: Towels - 3, Washcloths - 10
Skip Hop Moby Bath Rinser | How cute is this? It has a handle and a waterfall spout to make bath time much easier (and more fun!) Plus I love that it keeps the water (mostly) out of her face.
Honest Co. Shampoo + Lotion | We strive to use all natural products with Olivia and I just love the way these products smell and you can also bundle them into your diaper subscription if you wish. The sweet orange vanilla scent is oh so dreamy too. We received these along with Burts Bees shampoo and lotion and I have to say that I prefer the smell of the Honest ones. I'm very particular about lotion and I love that this one isn't greasy or sticky and dries really quickly.
Munchkin Squirtin Bath Toys | These are Olivia’s absolute favorites. When we bathed her in the sink we didn’t use them and they were just normal everyday toys for her. But when we moved her to the bath and her friends got to join her she was so excited. The pig, sheep, and horse are her all time faves. They have other animal themes if you aren’t into farm friends.
Brush + Comb Set | The brush and comb set we use isn't available anymore (RIP Babies R US), but if we had to buy them now I would definitely go this route. Again, I love the simple timeless design and the fact that they are all natural.
Pacifier | I was very excited about these pacifiers and how cool and simple they looked. And I loved that they look exactly like the binky I used back when I was a baby. Well Olivia could care less about pacifiers. You're not fooling her! She will just use it more as a teether than anything and has decided to suck on her two fingers instead. But if you have a paci loving baby I love this all natural option that also helps prevent orthodontic issues later on.
Quanity: 1 (0-6m), 1 (6m+)
Fridababy Nail Care Set | I originally planned to use baby emory boards because clippers scared the life out of me. Well baby nail files are worthless. Babies nails grow SO fast (thanks prenatal vitamins) and they are so soft I just felt like they were bending when I tried to file them. I read incredible reviews on this nail care set and holy cow this thing is amazing. They make it (probably) impossible to cut your baby's fingers. There is a little view window so that you can see exactly what you are cutting. The blades not only taper but they also overlap so that you can quickly cut their nails without worrying about lining things up perfectly since babies are so wiggly. It also comes with a curved nail file which is great when you have those little sharp corners. Now Olivia just quietly sits there while I clip her nails.
Angelcare Bath Support | We absolutely love this thing. It’s so perfectly designed to stop Olivia’s little bottom from sliding and holds her in place really well so that we can use two hands to bathe her. I love that it has a rubber mesh backing so that she isn't sitting in dirty water too. Plus it's super inexpensive which is great since we'll only be using it for the first six months. Once we starting using this bath time was so much more enjoyable rather than her screaming the entire time.
Angelcare Baby Bath Booster | Once Olivia outgrew her bath support we graduated to the bath seat and moved her to the tub. This is such a great in between when she still wasn’t sitting up great on her own, but we didn’t trust her enough to just go bare bottom to slippery tub. It was funny watching her transition because she kept wanting to lay back and lounge haha. But now, she just sits up and kicks and splashes and plays with her toys. It’s probably her favorite thing.
Skip Hop Moby Baby Bath Kneeler Pad | I originally thought this was cheesy, but my knees thank me for it. Now that Olivia is 100% in the bath tub, that whole hunched over kneeling position is serious business on the knees, so this allows us to bathe her for longer without dying afterward. Plus the grey option matches her bathroom.
Solly Baby Wrap | I'm all about being hands free and I just love how simple and soft these Solly Baby Wraps are. They come in a bunch of different patterns and can adjust with baby's needs as they grow. All the cool moms have one. Olivia loves cuddling up close and falling asleep (even at 12 months old), and I love being hands free while she naps. I used to wear it around the house to get things done, but now that she's in her crib for naps we mostly just use it on outings when the stroller is too much. Baby wearing is where it's at.
4moms Breeze Playard | I was totally against having a "pack n' play" because I thought of it as baby jail haha. Plus we were really trying to keep the baby items to a minimum. But now that we have such a regimented sleeping routine we bought this so that she has a portable crib when we travel. This is actually last year's model that we scored on Amazon because we love the full sized bassinet (which they don't make anymore womp womp). The new model has a split bassinet + changing station, which is great, but having such a long baby she would have already outgrown them. It is SO easy to open and close with literally the push of a button and you're done. I also plan to have her play in it sometimes when she gets a little bigger so I won't have to worry about her getting into something she shouldn't if I'm working or cooking. Also I really love how simple the design is and how much visibility it has, so I don't have to worry about Olivia wedging herself in a corner where she can't breathe.
Aden + Anais Stroller Blanket | Since Olivia was born in the middle of winter I wanted to make sure we had some thicker blanket options too other than the swaddles. I love how soft and simple this stroller blanket is and I know it will grow with her as she gets older.
Copper Pearl Multi-use Cover | This is such a versatile piece of fabric. It can be a nursing cover, car seat cover, shopping cart insert, high chair cover, and scarf! We are germaphobes when it comes to public shopping carts and high chairs so I'm pretty excited that I can just throw this guy in the wash and know that Olivia survived another day of gross non-hand-washers. It also acts as a barrier to keep the overly invasive strangers from touching my baby lol.
Mark & Graham Diaper Bag | We wanted something gender neutral for this since we would both be carrying it at any given time. I loved the idea of a waxed canvas tote that didn't necessarily look like a diaper bag, but still had all of the organization and washability of one. Also, it's orange on the inside which is just so fun. Plus the backpack option is an added bonus. It's lined in a waterproof material with lots of pockets and compartments. It is a little big though sometimes, and it makes me wish we had a smaller version like this for quick outings where we just need some diapers and a change of clothes.
Evenflo Stroller + Car Seat | We opted for a 3-in-1 model for our transportation needs. I knew that I wanted a stroller that had a bassinet option for when Olivia was still really small. So I did a TON of research on every stroller known to mankind within our budget. I made a handy spreadsheet highlighting the pros and cons of each (naturally) and had this one picked in my head without telling Derek which model I chose. Then we went to Babies R Us to try out different models in person and Derek picked this one. Hands down. So clearly it was a no brainer for us. Twelve months later and this stroller is still SO easy to assemble and disassemble, and it's not too heavy either. It looks nice, it has a cute bassinet option (which is her least favorite despite how bad I want her to look like a cute little French baby). You can literally open the whole contraption with the push of a button. I also love that the bassinet converts into a toddler seat for the stroller that will grow with her.
I could honestly do an entire post on toys (in fact I probably will) but these are some of her tried and true favorites from day one. Here are some recent toys we added to her collection.
HABA Flower Teether | I actually bought this for her when she was about two months old and she is obsessed with all of the different textures and colors. It such a great simple sensory toy.
Bright Starts Bunny Bites Teething Set | We bought her this set for Easter and this carrot is her entire world. She is slowly gravitating to the beet and bunny, but it's all about the carrot. I joke that it's because it has four nipples on the top of it lol. She prefers this over a pacifier any day. We actually have it attached to her main pacifier clip and thats what we clip onto her carseat, Solly wrap, everything. It's her very best friend.
Wood Turtle Teether | We both grew up with classic wooden toys and I just love how simple they are. People always say that babies will play with the box the toy came in so why add more fuss and stimulation? Less is more in my opinion. Plus they are super easy to clean, and will last for future babies down the road to enjoy. Her favorites are this doggie rattle and this stegosaurus.
BOOKS | I want our baby to be interested in books from an early age, and not just any books. Books with a purpose. Here is a roundup of my all time favorite books, holiday books, and empowering books.
Ikea Duktig Plush Vegetable Basket | We registered for this along with the matching fruit basket. I love the simple soft fruits and veggies that they can enjoy as a baby and then play pretend with as a toddler. I recently added this red basket of food to her collection too.
West Elm Baby Bear Thumbie | I bought this for her on a whim so that she'd have a cuddly friend in her carseat with her and she just LOVES him. We call him Mr. Bear.
Ikea Mula Stacking Cups | I had my mom pick these up during an Ikea trip, and Olivia just loves them. They are so inexpensive but pack a punch with creative games. You can build things, hide smaller cups inside larger ones, and she loves to grab them and bang them on things. And throw them across the room lol.
Gender Neutral Clothing | I just love these simple kimono style onesies. They are super gender neutral but could go either way with the right pants or headband. They are really soft and inexpensive too. We also love these long sleeved H&M Kimono Bodysuits. I personally hate how gender divided baby clothing is. "Mommy's little heartbreaker" "Daddy's little slugger" ugh. I like to stick to outfits with simple patterns and colors that aren't so themey. For some reason I was under the impression that I was going to take Olivia out on lots of outings and dress her in cute outfits. Let's face it. You don't really go anywhere for the first three months other than pediatrician appointments and Target when you're feeling brave. Also, when I would put her in cute outfits she would immediately spit up on them (or worse). So many of the outfits people got for us she never even got to wear because she outgrew them for the season. Onesies are where it's at. We have about 10-15 in each size range and it has been perfect, especially when she goes through five by 9am.
Advice: Wash a couple of pieces from each size before baby gets here and you know how big they will be. Then you can exchanged all of the unwashed items (with tags) for correct sizes.
Zip-Up Footie Pajamas | With Olivia arriving at the end of January it was still pretty cold out so we registered for a couple of sets of footie pajamas with cuffed sleeves to avoid scratches. We loved her footie pajamas because they were easy to take on and off and they kept her warm. I'm sure we were being super lazy, but it was so much easier to just put her in these everyday rather than dirtying a bunch of little outfits with pants during the colder months. Plus, when she was really small she haaaated getting dressed and undressed and these were super easy because they don't go over her head. We have so many little baby pants we thought we'd pair with onesies but never did, it was pajamas all the way.
Quantity: 4
Linen Bonnet | Even if babies have a full head of hear their heads still need to be protected from the sun's harmful UV rays. And who doesn't love a baby in a bonnet? Olivia hates the sun more than anything else in this world and this bonnet has been a lifesaver. it ties nicely under her chin so she can't pull it off, and it's reversible which makes it go with just about every outfit she has.
Sunnies | As I just mentioned Olivia hates the sun. We didn't even think about that before she arrived. We went through a couple kinds of sunglasses but these are the only ones she can keep on her face. The arms are rubbery so they stick to her head better and she loves not having to squint. They have a bunch of cute boy ones too.
If you’ve made it this far bravo! I hope that you found my suggestions helpful, but I feel like it’s important to say that not all babies are the same and honestly none of this may work for any other babies we may have. Please just use this as a guide, but feel free to ask me any questions!
To see everything else we registered for check out our Babylist.
Would you be surprised if I told you that I already had Baby Klepac's nursery designed in my head within first few weeks of being pregnant? This room is something I've thought about ever since planning our wedding back in 2012. And I've been slowly collecting pieces for it ever since.
| THE ROOM |
When we first moved into this house we used this space as an office + studio, but have since relocated our office to share a space with the guest room. This room has been a hodgepodge of different spaces, but I don't think we've really ever shown it on the blog other than the scary befores from our initial walkthrough. It is basically the room of 1,000 doors. It has 2 small closets and one large closet, along with a door to our bedroom (super convenient), and a door to the laundry room/mudroom/breakfast nook area. I've saved the shocking before and afters for the end of this post. Pretty first. Scary later.
| THE INSPIRATION |
The entire room was based on our love of West Texas. We wanted a gender neutral room that didn't necessarily look like a baby's room, and rather an extension of the rest of our home's aesthetic. The Jonathan Adler pillow on the rocker was the ring bearer pillow in our wedding, and even back in 2012, I bought this pillow knowing that we would one day use it in our future baby's room. I just love all of the saturated colors and whimsy of it all. When we went to Rome for our honeymoon we picked up a colorful Italian alphabet poster of similar coloring knowing we would one day hang it on the wall of our nursery. It's the little details like this that slowly started to make this room come together. We also used several pieces that we already owned to help the room feel less juvenile. By doing this, we now have pieces that can grow with the baby as this room transitions into a "big kid" room.
We really hope that Baby Klepac enjoys this room as much as we do. Okay now for the scary before and afters..
lamp | rocker | side table | rug | pouf (similar) | architect prints | pillow | plant | crib | blanket | sheets | bookshelf (similar) | mobile (similar) | artwork | curtains | curtain rod | dresser | changing pad cover | shelving | ducks pull toy | letter board | polar bear | piggy bank | sleep sheep | giraffe | black house trio | grey storage bins | elephant | gym | gym toys | blocks | shelves | trays | moccasins | pacifier | pacifier clip | mittens | hedgehog stuffie | dog rattle | dino teether | diaper pail | nightlight | hang-it-all | solly wraps | diaper bag