Our Favorite Baby Products: Part 1

1. Arm and Hammer Diaper Pail

Now we heard from everyone we know not to get a diaper pail.. That Wal-Mart and Target bags would work just fine. Well I have to say we didn't listen and I am glad we didn't! We have loved this diaper pail from day one. It is super easy to change the liners and keeps the nursery from smelling. Plus the liners hold a ton of diapers so you don't have to change it all the time.. Again anything simple that will make your life so much easier in these months are a must. The Arm and Hammer Pail will sprinkle baking soda on the diapers each time you put one in and shut the lid. This is what I think helps so much! We have only had to add more baking soda twice since we bought it.

2. Timi & Leslie Convertible Charlie II Diaper Bag
I had a Skip Hop diaper bag at first that I thought I would love, but it just wasn't big enough for me. The Timi & Leslie Convertible Charlie II is perfect for an over packing momma like me. Oh and believe me I have tested this thing out to see how much I could get in there and it's surprising honestly.. J said I can practically get the nursery in it if we needed to. I love all the pockets and how wide the bag is.. If you don't fill it so full like I do it is pretty easy to find everything you need. It comes with an insulated bottle holder that has a clip on the handle, stroller straps, pochette for mom's essentials with credit card holder inside and a changing mat with diaper and wipe pocket. I love the look of this bag. It is very stylish.. I wanted a diaper bag that didn't have tons of cartoons, color and everything on it. I wanted a simple large bag that looked like a purse. The only thing I wish is that I would have gotten a different color. I got the black at Buy Buy Baby and wished I would have gotten the mustard. I think it's such a fun color, but I know Black goes with everything and is still very practical. 

3. Homedics Sound Spa

This is a must have for night time! We use the ocean or rain sound and found it really does help Ava go to sleep easier! This one also has a projector with 2 or 3 different CDs that can shine at the ceiling. We don't use it with Ava, but I think it's a cute idea.

4. Nosefrida The Snotsucker Nasal Aspirator

Now I know this sounds gross, but honestly it's the best thing! Ava gets a few bats in the cave (as I call it) every now and then and this thing can suck the mess out of some "bats"! It really doesn't seem to bother her when I use it like the bulb aspirator we had. We had two of those and they were horrible. She would scream and it was just terrible. I am so glad we found this. We love it because the tube doesn't enter her nose so no irritation like with regular aspirator or danger of her jerking and hurting her nose. Works really well coupled with saline drops, so it's a nice, safe, natural way to clear their nose. One great benefit of the Nosefrida is that you can wash it in the dishwasher. It is a very clean system. We wash it with hot soapy water and then put it in the sterilizer. This is something that you can't do with most aspirators and I think this is a huge plus!

5. Baby Connect Baby Tracker App

This has been a true lifesaver for us!! It allows you to track everything related to your baby! Diapers, feedings, medicine, sleep, how many diapers, how many oz's your baby is getting in a 24 hour period. Jarod and I both have this app on our phones and iPad. We started using it the first day Ava was born. It's great because we don't have to ask each other when her last feeding was; we can just look at the app on our iPhones. You can also print all of your tracks and take them to the doctors appointment with you so he or she has a record of everything too.

6. Fisher Price Deluxe Rock-n-Play
Ava has horrible reflux so we need to keep her inclined at night when she is sleeping. This has been a lifesaver for us! She loves it and it's so light weight and easy to close up when we aren't using it during the day. I keep it near my side of the bed and she has slept there since the first night we were home! It's easy for me to rock her when she gets a little fussy mid sleep or pull her close to easily check on her
without waking her.

7. Gerber Knit Burp Cloths
These are our favorite burp cloths. And believe me we know our burp cloths. Having a reflux baby you know to have at least 3 in each room to wipe the spit-up or drool. We have almost every kind of burp cloth out there and these are my favorite. They wash up great! Super soft, thick and really absorbent. They are also the perfect size as they are trifold.

8. Baby Gap Sleep Sets
I love these PJs for Ava! We have always bought her the footed PJs but I felt like every week she was growing out of them. I would pay all of this money but she wouldn't get enough wears out of them for me. I love these because they are just like big kids PJs but infant size. We just put socks on her feet and she keeps warm and cozy all night long. They look super cute on her and wash up great!

9. Summer Infant 3-Stage Super Seat
Love it!! We bought this after taking back the Bumbo. Here are some key points on why we love it. The seat is very sturdy and supported. The tray is easy to remove & to put around Ava. The toys are super fun for her plus the tray has room to add some suction cup toys and stuff for extra fun. The leg holes are bigger than the Bumbo. It can grow with her and become a booster seat when she gets older. This chair is wonderful! Ava loves playing in it. It was easy to put together, is quality material, and easy to clean. I was very pleased to find this product in girl colors (pink tray, lavender base, bright blue seat) at Walmart. The price there was only $36 which is cheaper than anywhere else I have seen it too! 

10. Bright Starts Grab and Stack Blocks
These have been one of Ava's favorite toys. Ava loves these blocks. You get four blocks and they each have different letters on them. She seems to like the crinkly blocks better than the rattly/jingly blocks, but they all have something different that attracts her to each of them. Washing machine has yet to destroy them, I just put them in a mesh bag on the gentle cycle and they come out perfect every time. They are super easy for her to grab and of course get into her mouth, which is a big plus right now.