While deeper reflections on reaching the 1st year milestone are to come, I want to have a little fun and throw out a few of my "baby favorites". So, I'm going to be posting my Top Five Favs in areas like "Baby Toys", "Baby Books", and "Baby Essentials." We'll start with the essentials, okay?
1) I have loved my Ergo Baby Carrier. This thing allows you to carry the weight of baby in your hips instead of your shoulders, and it frees up both your hands. Essential? Yes. You can wear your baby front or back, and I've found it much easier to strap on than a Moby and more comfortable than a Bjorn. (Props to my hip Moby wearing mommas. I'm just not that talented.) This thing is so awesome you can even go hiking in it. It's been a must for many trips outside the home and has often substituted for a bulky stroller in our crowded city.
2) The Miracle Blanket is a funny concept. Some think it is the equivalent of a straight jacket, but others think it is the ultimate in swaddling and recreating the mother's womb for baby. While I'll hold off on confessing how long we used this thing on our poor child, I must credit this amazing contraption for many hours of sleep that would have otherwise been lost. So while we loved the hospital swaddling blankets for the first few weeks, we eventually landed here and never turned back... well, until just recently. Confession.
3) I realize a Cuisinart Handstick Blender is not advertised as a baby tool, but this thing has been THE tool for making Bella's baby food. I steam or roast any variety of items and just stick this little device in the pot or throw everything together in a bowl and plunge my handstick blender in. Ten seconds and wa la! Baby food is ready to go. No messy blenders to clean up, and no expensive baby food making machines to buy. P.S. I love this tool for so many grown up soups and smoothies. And it is the ultimate in space saving for our small apartment. Oh, and it even comes with a chopper attachment. Eeee-sential!
Newport, Rhode Island, June 2011 = Freezing on the beach
5) And finally, the Boppy Pillow has been a must for me this first year. There are so many versatile ways it has been used in our home, besides the obvious. From helping baby learn how to do tummy time, to providing a place for a snug nap (even though I know they say never to do that). Most recently, we've laid Bella down on it with her bottle at dinnertime, and it buys us a few precious minutes to enjoy dinner together in peace and quiet. Never thought I would say this, but this freak of a pillow has been an essential.
So there's my top five! What are your baby essentials?
(By the way, I don't get any kind of special deal for mentioning these products. I have truly just loved these products!)
Oh, we love our Bob stroller, too! Already, I don't know what we would do without it. How old or big was Bella when you began running with her in it? Our manual says to wait until the child is at least 8 months old, but that seems old to me.
ReplyDeleteOh yeah. I didn't buy that, and I think Bella's brain development is doing just fine for the small bumps she's taken along the way. I started running with her around 12 weeks, and I spent the first few months out on the Mall where it's a smoother surface.
ReplyDeletePerfect timing on the baby stuff wisdom! Keep it coming :) 7 more weeks(ish, obviously) until we join you in parethood!
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