Olivia West | One Month

Today Olivia is one month old. I can't believe it has already been a whole month since we met our baby girl.

| STATS |

Although Olivia weighed 7lb 9oz at birth, she dropped to 6lb 11oz by the time we left the hospital. This is completely normal for babies to do as they are adjusting to their new world outside of the womb. However, they are supposed to be back up to their birth weight within the first two weeks. Our little girl was a little behind the curve and still holding strong to her 6lb 11oz weight. However she did grow 3/4". This girl is skinny and tall. Her head also keeps growing and is at the 95th percentile while her weight is only in the 25th percentile. Our little bobble head.

| EATING |

She started off as an excellent eater. She would latch every time and nurse for 20-30min on each side. Like. A. Champ. However as we got into the evenings she would start to either favor one side over the other or do this frantic head bobbing thing where its like she had a love/hate relationship with eating. We decided to schedule an appointment with the Lactation Consultant (LC) to see what the deal was. This appointment opened up a whole new can of worms and we learned that Olivia was underweight for her age and that I wasn't producing enough milk to sustain her. Obviously I burst into tears because I realized I was starving her this entire time. At our LC appointments we would strip Olivia down to a dry diaper and weigh her to get a baseline weight. Then I would nurse and we would weigh her again to see how much breastmilk was being transferred. That's the tricky thing about nursing is that you cant physically see how much milk your baby is consuming. You just judge everything based on their number of wet and dirty diapers. Which Olivia had plenty of, so we didn't think twice about it. 

At our first appointment she was only transfering 1.7oz and she should be transfering about 2-3oz per feeding. So the LC had us on a strict regimen to nurse every 2 hours, pump immediately afterward and feed her what I pumped from the previous pumping session. Whatever I pumped had to be 1oz otherwise I had to supplement the difference with formula. I was pretty upset about having to already resort to formula, but at this point it was about keeping her sustained more than anything. This method was also supposed to help build my milk supply as it was creating a higher demand. Higher demand = more milk. At the beginning I was only pumping about 1/3oz every session and then it gradually increased to 2/3oz by our next appointment (2 days later). We were feeling hopeful. We had followed all of the rules. However when we weighed her before and after her feeding she only transferred 1.5oz and her weight was still 6lb 11oz. Well as it turned out I had been misreading the graduated cylinders on my pump thinking that it said 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, etc. but it was in mL and was reading 10, 15, 20, etc. which meant what I thought was 1oz was actually only 10mL so we were STILL underfeeding her (30mL = 1oz). We scheduled a third appointment 4 days later and were determined to get some weight on her now that we knew what the heck we were doing.  We had to supplement ready to feed formula a few times but it was never more than 10mL (1/3oz) so I didn't feel too bad about that. By our next appointment she weighed 7lb 2oz before her feeding and transferred 2.7oz! Babies are expected to gain 1oz a day at this time, and she had gained 7oz in 4 days! I started crying tears of joy and hugged my LC. All of our hard work was paying off! Breastfeeding is supposed to be easy, but for us it's been a lot of work and I'm excited that we're on an easier road now. As the days go by I've been pumping 2-3oz per session and stockpiling our fridge. I dont even remember the last time I had to supplement with formula. At the beginning she would eat with little butterfly sucks and I thought that was just how babies ate. Now that she is getting enough milk each time, as Derek describes "she's eating like a hyena eating a carcass" haha. Yep that sounds about right. The LC had us schedule another appointment a week later because in theory Olivia would be back up to birthweight by that point and we could start weening off of having to pump and supplement each feeding. And as of this past Tuesday she is 7lb 11oz (!!!) and still transferring 2.7oz on average when feeding. Which means that she will still be behind for her age, but at least she is on the right track. We couldn’t be prouder! Now we only supplement if she still seems hungry and I only pump in the mornings to keep our backup milk supply up, and I end up just freezing it for a rainy day.

| SLEEPING |

This has been the ultimate struggle. The first night we spent in the hospital with Olivia was magic. She slept the entire night and just made little coos. We thought "wow we have such an easy baby!" This was short lived. For the first few days at home we tried getting her to sleep in her crib. She would be passed out in our arms and as soon as we'd lay her down she would start crying. We got her to actually sleep through the night twice, but trying the same method again never worked. From that point on she would only sleep when in someone's arms. So we talked to our pediatrician about it and he had Derek setup a safe pillow supported nest on the sofa where he would hold and soothe her all night but could in no way drop her or roll over on her. Obviously Derek is a saint as he still sacrifices his sleep so that I can sleep in our bed since I am still recovering. My co-worker let us borrow her Rock 'n Play since she had a similar issue with her first born. Olivia sleeps sound in the Rock 'n Play during the day which is great because my hands are free and I can get small tasks done. This past week we have been having her sleep in it during the night and so far it's working. It's not the crib but baby steps okay? One month in though and Derek and I are both still worry warts and sleep so light so that every sound she makes we wake up and check on her to make sure she's still breathing. Does this panic ever go away? Maybe once she goes off to college? 

| DOING |

Olivia has been super vocal since day one. She constantly makes the most adorable coos and squeaks and grunts. My absolute favorite is when she sneezes she goes "whoaaaaa" afterward like the sneeze really overwhelmed her. It is so cute though when she's just laying in our arms or in the Rock 'n Play just awake as can be making her little noises. Ugh it just melts my heart.

| MILESTONES |

We have started small sessions of tummy time, although we've learned to wait a bit after she eats or it's spit up palooza. Her neck has been strong from the start, so we're excited to see how quickly she can hold up her head on her own. She's getting pretty good at it but it still bobbles from time to time. 

| FAVORITE MOMENTS |

 Whenever I burp Olivia while switching from side to side nursing, she is obviosuly still hungry and rooting around. However, she's up by my face and she's trying to latch onto my cheek or neck so we pretend that she's trying to kiss me. Or bite me. It's so cute. She is just so sweet and cuddly. 

Olivia West's Birth Story

To preface, I had no idea what to expect child birth to be like. I had heard so many stories from so many different people. And my Type-A personality couldn't really handle the uncertainty and mysterious timeline of it all. People would always say "women have been doing this for centuries" "our bodies are made to do this" but I had my doubts. Maybe I would be the one anomoly that couldn't live up to the task. Maybe I would just keep this baby inside forever. They would just become a part of me. However, after going through this experinece. I couldn't be prouder of myself and my body. It was such an empowering moment. Also. I left out all of the gory details so this post doesn't make you pass out or throw up. But I will have a post about the raw truth of childbirth that most people don't tell you about. I would have liked to have been prepared for that part. But that post is for another day. And I will warn you in advance. 

Before I dive into the birth story, I first need to give you a little backstory. So I am a 4th generation breech baby, and we assumed that Baby Klepac would be too. However, according to my OB this is not hereditary and is totally random. But I had my doubts. I mean. 4 generations. Plus I was kind of pumped to have a c-section. A planned date, no pushing, etc. Although after taking our birthing classes and seeing a few videos on natural childbirth, I was mentally preparing myself for a vaginal birth just in case, and I was actually excited about it. It didn't look that bad.

Surprise surprise at my 34 week appointment this baby was officially breech. I knew it. Even though the baby could still turn on their own, we went ahead and scheduled a c-section for January 25th just in case. Surgery dates book up fast you know. My OB said that if the baby didn't turn by 36 weeks then they probably wouldn't because they would be running out of room. She also said that there were several remedies I could do in order to get the baby to turn, but they all either sounded really scary or really made up. Each day I could still feel the baby in the same position so I was convinced that they weren't going to turn on their own and that a c-section was going to be our story. At my 36 week appointment I was mentally prepared for a c-section. Surprise again! The baby turned and was now head down. I was so confused because I could feel two large masses in my rib cage which made me think that the baby was sideways, but apparently that was their back and butt and not their head (which now makes a lot of sense knowing how our baby likes to sleep outside of the womb). So then I had to re-get my game face on for a vaginal delivery. As a planner, this flip flopping was stressing me out. So we held the January 25th date just in case, but if baby stayed head down then we would just cancel the c-section and let nature take its course.

The weeks went by and January 25th came and went. I attended my weekly appointments but I was still only 1cm dilated at each visit and the baby's head was still high, and really never "dropped" which I knew because I could feel so much pressure in my lungs and ribcage, so we were thinking that they could still turn back into the breech position. There was even a pool going on at my office where my co-workers were trying to guess the due date, and as each day passed another person would come up to me and say "you were supposed to have the baby yesterday!" or "wow you're still here" every. single. day. Needless to say I was feeling pretty big with my January 31st due date right around the corner. I was constantly having people tell me how huge and tired I looked (thanks for that lady in the elevator), and having to get up and pee every 10 minutes. I had been taken off all projects at work because no one knew when I would just vanish one day. So I was pretty much ready to have this baby any day now. 

The morning of Monday, January 29th I woke up at 6:00am with intense cramping. Was this a contraction? I had clearly never felt one before but was told it feels like heavy cramping. I got out my little contraction app and started timing them. We were told in our birthing class to call the OB when your contractions are 1 minute long and 5 minutes apart and that it has been consistently this way for an hour. Well mine were on average 40 seconds long and 2-3 minutes apart. Which totally threw me off. They were too short and too close together and not very consistent. I didn't want to go all the way to the hospital (a 30min drive) if they were just Braxton Hicks, so after texting a few of my mommy friends and doing some quick googling, I drank a TON of water and they slowed down big time. Like 10-20min apart. So I decided to go into work anyway. By the time I got to the office they were a few hours apart. By lunchtime they were completely gone. Yep I guess they were Braxton Hicks!

That evening around 11:00pm I started feeling them again but this time they were quite painful and spaced out evenly. I let them go on for a few hours and drank a ton of water again to see if they would stop. By 2:00am I had just about had enough and they felt like they weren't going away. Since it was the middle of the night, we called the on-call doctor (who was clearly sleeping) and she said "yep that sounds like labor!" I still wasn't convinced. But we grabbed our hospital bags and told Geoffrey we'd be right back assuming they were Braxton Hicks again. Luckily at that time of night no one is on the road, so we made it to the hospital in 15 minutes. Since it was so late we had to stop by the ER first to get examined. That place was a ghost town. All of the lights were dimmed and we were the only people there. It was actually pretty relaxing for an ER. They had me change into a gown and as I was walking back to my little triage bay I lost a bunch of blood. Derek just about passed out. They went ahead and examined my progress and I was already 5cm dilated! Okay. This was it. Go time!

They admitted me and we waited in the triage bay until a room opened up. Fun Fact: the next day (my actual due date) was not only a full moon, it was a super moon, a blue moon, and a lunar eclipse. According to the nurses there are the most births during a full moon, and all of these other moon things were just adding to the chaos so the L&D rooms were completely full. We finally got settled into our room around 4:00am and met the nurse who would be my person for the next couple of hours before the shift change around 7:00am. I don't even remember her name I was so out of it. It was actually kind of peaceful to be in labor in the wee hours of the morning. Everything was so quiet and calm. I just kept watching the heartrate monitor that ended up putting me to sleep ha. 

My birth plan was to go completely natural and drug free, however if the pain was too much then I was on board with having an epidural at that point. But I really wanted to experience as much as possible and I had no idea what to expect. It was around 5:00am when I started thinking about how I hadn't slept since the night before (Sunday night) and I knew I had a lot of work ahead of me. So I opted for the epidural so that I could get some sleep before the real fun started. A little side bar about epidurals. These aren't your mom's epidurals. They are sort of like a slow drip constant that you can add to as much as you need depending on your pain level. Sort of like a morphine drip. So there aren't "its too late" windows or "it ran out of juice" scenarios anymore. I had them set it to the lowest setting so that I could still feel the contractions and feel that labor was progressing, but that it would help take the edge off so that I could maybe get a little nap in. The anesthesiologist came in and told us that I was his last patient of the day after a 24hour shift. That probably should have been a red flag right there, but I was tired and didn't think twice about it. I have a huge needle phobia, and you'd think it would have gotten better after being a pin cushion during my pregnancy, but nope. The fear was still very real. The actual epidural didn't hurt, but the numbing shot beforehand felt like a little fire ant bite. Snaking in the epidural catheter actually felt like someone was lightly tickling my back. Such a weird sensation. I almost immediately felt my right leg go numb while my left was still fully functioning. They told me that epidurals tend to "choose a side" and that the other side would kick in soon. I tried to take a little nap but I was interrupted by the nurse every 15 minutes to check progress and vitals and the baby's heartbeat. Derek took this downtime to go home and pick up Geoffrey to take to our friends' house for his puppy slumber party while we were in the hospital. By the time he got back (about an hour later) I could feel everything. And it was 10x as intense as before. I tried boosting the epidural. Nothing. We even maxed it out and nothing. In fact my right leg was now only numb around my calf and that was it. We had the new post-shift-change anesthesiologist come and relocate the epidural. Still nothing. They asked me if I wanted to replace the epidural with a brand new one and essentially start over. I was already freaked out about the complications associated with epidurals so I really didn't want to press my luck having a second one inserted. I took this as a sign that I was meant to do this as I had originally planned: 100% natural.

Luckily since it was now the next day Tuesday January 30th, and I'd most likely be delivering during normal business hours, I was able to have my OB there rather than the sleepy on call doctor. And can I just say that my OB is seriously just the best in these types of situations. She literally makes you feel like you can do anything. After the 7:00am shift change, I had THE most amazing nurse Samantha (Sam) and a student nurse (it's a teaching hospital) taking care of me all morning. He was so sweet and so excited to be apart of our special moment. He even had to write a paper about his experience. So basically I'm a celebrity. My favorite moment with Sam was when she guessed that I was a lawyer because I had cool glasses haha. In another life Sam. In another life.

Around 9:00am my OB came by to check on my progress and break my water. So no dramatic Hollywood water breaking over here. My biggest fear was that I'd be at Target buying pillows and my water would break. This didn't speed up the contractions fast enough so she also started me on Pitocin to ramp things up. That was super fun. My OB came back by to check on me again at 10:00am and said that I'd be ready to push by 10:30am! I was so excited to meet our baby, but also so nervous because I had no idea how to push or really how I was going to accomplish this altogether. I started pushing at 10:30am as planned but the baby wasn't progressing and it's heartbeat was dropping. They examined me again and it turned out that the baby was in occiput posterior position which meant that they were head down but were facing the wrong way. They said I could deliver like this but that it's very dangerous and that it would be extremely painful. And since I was clearly not feeling the effects of the epidural anymore. I was terrified. I immediately assumed I'd be whisked away for an emergency c-section which I was pretty upset about after going through labor already for several hours. However, the nurse had me rotate onto my right side for 15 minutes (while still stirrup-ed) and then onto my left for 15 minutes to get the baby to turn around. Meanwhile as I was doing this I had some intense contractions that were just on top of each other at this point. They told me that if it was more comfortable to push than suffer through the contractions, I could. So I kept pushing as I rotated from side to side. After rotating a couple of times the baby turned around and I was able to resume pushing normally. The cool thing about being able to feel everything is that you naturally want to push and you can sort of work with the baby as they progress.

My OB randomly came by for another examination, but saw that the baby was already crowning and that this was it. Go time! Up until that point I was "pushing" but it never really felt like I was accomplishing anything. The process of pushing was actually really difficult (to me). You are basically in a crunch position with nothing supporting you but your own ab strength (and if you've ever been pregnant you know how weak your abs are toward the end of pregnancy). I had Derek holding my right leg and the student nurse holding my left leg, but other than that it was pure ab strength keeping my torso off the bed. Also. Being in a crunch position with a watermelon in the way is definitely a task in itself. I then had to do three rounds of 10 second pushes. When I say 10 seconds, it goes something like this: "ONE! okay you're doing great keep adding to it.. TWO! thats great keep going you can do this just a little longer.. THREE!.. " and so on, which basically means that 10 seconds is about 30 seconds. I was thinking it would be 10 Mississippi's obviously. Then you go into the next round without relaxing. So by the third round you are just totally wiped. And this is all right after having a contraction. I was starting to feel like I was going to be doing this part for the rest of my life because I couldn't feel the baby progressing whatsoever. They asked me if I wanted to grab onto something to counterbalance the pushing. I said YES! Why was this not offered to me sooner?? So they had me hold onto these handles down at my side so it was almost like I was in a rowing position. These handles were everything. I now had something to pull on and not rely on my sad little abs. They said I did about 5 rounds (of 3 sets) of pushes total and the next thing I knew after one final push she was here. Olivia West Klepac, our beautiful and perfect baby girl with a full head of dark hair, arrived on Tuesday January 30th, 2018 at 11:47am weighing 7lb 9oz and measuring 20" long. We both were beside ourselves when we saw that Baby Klepac was a girl. Especially considering that EVERYONE was convinced she was a boy because of the way I was carrying. I even starting thinking we were having a boy. But when we saw our baby girl we both just kept saying "It's Olivia!" "We have a daughter!" "I can't believe we have a baby girl!"

The next thing I knew she was being whisked away to be poked and measured and cleaned up. The room went from a quiet dimly lit space with 1.5 nurses, to a bright bustling room with about 15 people in it in under 10 minutes. After she was all cleaned up and swaddled they gave her to Derek to bond and cuddle with while they finished up with getting me all squared away (more on that later. yikes.) Once I was all cleaned up and on the mend, they brought her over to me for our "Golden Hour" of skin to skin bonding. Our hospital is very big on respecting the Golden Hour period and they will let the mother and baby bond for a solid hour uninterrupted. This was such a special time. She immediately nursed and looked up at me with big beautiful eyes. I had been so nervous up until this point to meet this little person that I felt like I already knew for 9 months, but that was also a complete stranger. Would she like me? Would we bond? Would she know I'm her mother? The amount of love that instantly filled that room was palpable.

With both of our families living far away, Derek and I had told everyone that we didn't want any visitors in the hospital and wanted to just spend these first few days as a new family of three. It felt like time stood still during this moment as we stared at her every feature trying to figure out who's eyes she had and she clearly had Derek's nose. We just stared at her in awe. In the last month of pregnacy I started to worry that something would be wrong with the baby. How could two unqualified people make such a perfect little person? I mean when you think about the complexity and mystery of pregnancy that literally cells and DNA are coming together to create a tiny human with tiny organs and a tiny circulatory system is sort of mind boggling. As we held her though, we just couldn't stop gushing over how we made her out of thin air. After years and years of hoping and praying. Knowing that if our first pregnancy would have went to term we wouldn't have our Olivia. In that moment we saw God's plan and we knew that everything happens for a reason. She has ten fingers and ten toes and is a thriving tiny human. And she is all ours. It was a lot to take in.

After a while they moved us all up to our post partum recovery room where we settled in for the next two days. Everything was perfect. We had our little baby girl who was so cuddly and made the cutest little noises. I remember our first night after she was born they had her in a clear bassinet between my bed and Derek's pull out sofa. Every time she would make her little noises I would wake up and check on her. But I didn't mind. While she slept during the day Derek and I would just stare at her and talk about all of our hopes and dreams and fears of raising a strong and confident daughter in this very confusing world we live in. But in that moment we were in our perfect little bubble where no one could hurt her or break her heart. I wish we could have lived in that bubble forever. Just the three of us. 

What's Inside My Hospital Bag

Let's face it. Hospitals make me a little nervous. Probably because I'm usually there for a not so great reason. However, bringing our little one into the world is quite the opposite experience. While it's still full of a lot of unknowns, the fact that we get to leave with our sweet precious baby makes all of the mystery and anxiety worth it. 

I had always envisioned our hospital birthing experience to be something similar to that episode of Friends when Rachel is in a shared room with screaming moms going in and out having babies while she just lays there waiting and not dilating. I pictured it looking like an ER room with fluorescent lights and white walls. You know. Sterile. After touring our hospital though I felt like we were in the wrong place. The labor and delivery room looked like what I imagined the recovery room looking like. Mood lighting, wood accents on the walls, a private bathroom, AND private room. It felt more like a hotel room than anything medical, and that helped set my mind at ease. 

Now that it's starting to feel like a little weekend getaway rather than something scary, I was excited to pack our hospital bag with a few things that would make our stay feel a little more like home. 

Son & Park Beauty Water | BanillaCo. Clean It Zero Purity Oil Cleanser | Neogen Green Tea Real Fresh Foam Cleanser | Living Proof Full Shampoo + Conditioner | Mario Badescu Facial Spray | Missha Misa Vitalizing Eye Cream | Cosrx Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence | Vaseline Intensive Care Body Lotion | Kristen Ess Dry Shampoo | Klairs Freshly Squeezed Vitamin C Serum | Benton Aloe Propolis Soothing Gel | Burts Bees Lip Balm | bareMinerals Complexion Rescue | Cover Girl Lash Blast Mascara

| TOILETRIES |

I'm sure the hospital provides some exciting skin irritating soap and generic shampoo, but I'm a creature of habit, so having my regimen with me will help me feel a little more like myself during this process. And I've been obsessed with my Korean skincare routine for almost a year now, and it just makes me feel pampered and human again. I'll also be including my electric toothbrush, toothpaste, hair ties, body wash, deoderant, and contacts + glasses.

Robe | Black Flats | Jersey Dress | Leggings | Nursing Nightgown | Slippers

| WARDROBE |

I know that I'll be all hospital gown chic during delivery, but I wanted to have some nice pajamas and a pretty robe to recover in. Especially since there will be lots of people coming in and out and photos taken. I also included some cheap-o slippers I didn't mind getting hospital germs on in case I'll be walking up and down the halls. Since we've been flip flopping on a c-section vs. vaginal birth (due to my family lineage of 5 generations of breech babies) I'm packing night shirts and camisoles in case I will have stitches where pj bottoms usually rest. I also know I'll be pretty swollen all over when I leave, so I'm packing a loose fitting jersey dress with some leggings (depending on the weather) to go home in. Some other less than exciting wardrobe essentials I'm including are nursing bras, and granny panty cotton underwear (although I hear the cool paper underwear they give you is really the best and to steal as many as I can).

| ACTIVITIES |

Not knowing how long we will be there, or the order of events, I'm bringing the iPad queued up with episodes of Life in Pieces, some books, headphones, cards, sudoku puzzles, essential oils, back massager, etc. to keep me distracted during the many many hours of labor. 

Long Sleeved Onesies | Boppy (we have this Cover) | Hedgehog Pajamas | Knit Bonnet | Narwhal Swaddle | Bison Swaddle | Long Sleeved Kimono Shirts

| FOR BABY |

I took a little poll on my Insta Stories a while back asking if I needed to provide clothing for the baby or of the hospital would be providing that, and I pretty much had a 50-50 split on responses. So just in case, I went ahead and packed some white kimono shirts with built in mittens that they can just wear with their diaper, and then a few long sleeved white onesies with built in mittens as well. Plus I knew we'd be taking a ton of photos of our new arrival so I'm including some of my favorite swaddles which pair so nicely with the white outfits, and then included some cute hats too. I'm basically going to bring the diaper bag to keep all of the baby's items separate from ours, so that will also include some diapers and wipes, burp cloths, additional onesies, socks, and mittens. Our hospital is 30min away so you never know what could happen from the hospital to our house so we wanted to have some backup essentials just in case. I'm also bringing my boppy to help with nursing. And last but not least, a cute little going home outfit for baby. We packed my favorite hedgehog jammies and adorable knit bonnet for the ride home.

| OTHER ITEMS |

Then we will obviously pack other necessities like insurance, hospital forms, our baby book for documentation, Derek's overnight bag, and a gift I got for Derek for being such an amazing support during this journey. We already have the carseat installed which is so funny to see in the backseat everyday. Also, I want to put together some sort of thank you gifts or treats for the nurses and staff that will be with us day in and out, but I'm not sure what to do. I have heard that a lot of medical staff shy away from homemade treats due to the unknowns of people's dirty kitchens, unwashed hands, etc. And with this being flu season, I'm sure they are being extra cautious. Ideas? I'm hoping for something they could share rather than individualized gifts as I won't know how many people to account for until I'm there.

Clearly we've never done this before so if there is anything we do/don't have on our list feel free to share in the comments below. 

A Minimalist Baby Registry

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.

A West Texas Inspired Nursery

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