Registering for Baby - Baby Gear

Oh Baby Gear! This is all the stuff that is going to take up most of the room in your living room! Since we are in the process of building a new home I swore I was going to get the minimum. And I really registered for the minimum. However, over the past 5 months I have slowly bought more based on the realization that babies really do need 10 places to sit everyday!

I registered at Buy Buy Baby and Pottery Barn, but ended up completing all my registry items on Amazon. Looking back I should have gone with Amazon over Buy Buy Baby. If you haven't started your registry yet I would check out Amazon to Create an Amazon Baby Registry.

So let's start with the stuff that you can carry the baby with.

• Baby Carrier - Went with Ergo but after we purchased they came out with Ergo 360 which I like better. I feel that A likes to look around and wants to see the world. We have only used this a few times when we have gone apple picking, pumpkin picking, and the occasional shopping trip. I also bought the infant insert and returned it. We didn't use it at all when she would have needed the infant insert. I think if you are looking to carry the baby around I would suggest a wrap baby carrier. I also received a Lalabu which I loved! This was the perfect shirt that you just had to stick the baby into. You didn't have to worry about tying wraps, etc. 

• Bouncer/Rocker - Mamaroo which Avery uses 3-4 times per day and takes most of her naps in it. It is going to be a sad day when we can't use it anymore. It also can connect to an iPod to play music. I know people are against a rocker, swing, etc however this to me is a must have. It soothes the baby and not to mention quite the conversation piece when people come over who don't have children. My husband want to work on a Mamaroo for adults! 

• Baby Chair - The other thing that I would highly recommend is the Fisher Price Rock n Play. This was used non-stop for the first 3 months. If she wasn't doing tummy time or in the mamaroo she was in this sleeper.  It also vibrates which is key when they are newborns. Avery took all of her naps during the day in this too. The new version of this rocks it self and has white noise included. I would definitely get the newer version that rocks itself. I know that sounds so lazy but when you are trying to cook dinner and rock at the same time it gets quite difficult. 

• Playard/Pack and Play - We have one that has the bassinet, changing table and then also vibrates and plays music. We use the changing table constantly. I never actually used the bassinet but probably should have. I always used the Fisher Price Rock and Sleeper. When we move into the new house we will most likely only use this for travel. Right now our nursery is on the third floor while we hang out in the finished basement most of the day. 
• Playard Sheets - Just bought at Target or Amazon. Nothing special to recommend except get 2 sets. Just in case when you are traveling the lil bambino has an accident. 
• Jumparoo - This is something you won't need right away. However, around 4 months our daughter only wanted to stand when you were sitting down. So we put together our Fisher Price Rainforest jumper that friends got us and boy does she love it! She jumps for hours in this thing. Well not hours but at least 40 minutes. She loves the music and the little butterfly which she eats. This is definitely one of those things you won't need right away but at some point I would invest in some type of jumper, activity station, etc. 
  
• Activity Mat - So important for tummy time! And also for stretching out and playing. We use ours all the time. We bought the skip hop one and have been extremely happy. I switch out some of the toys and add our own. Not to mention it is easy to wash as well. Very important if you have a spitter upper like me! 
  
• Bumbo Chair - So I am not 100% sold on this. Right now we use it to feed A, but that is just because we haven't put together our high chair yet. When it comes to playing she only will sit in it for 15-20 minutes. We have the tray and I bought some toys that stick to the tray, so hoping this might help keep her attention more. 
  
  
  
  
• Walker - This is something that we haven't looked into at all. My Mom bought one at Target a few weeks ago for her house but Avery's little legs aren't long enough. I am thinking maybe next month we will look into getting one. I have been a big fan of Baby Einstein toys so I may look at their walker as well. 
  

Those are some of the bigger baby gear items that I recommend. Make sure to check out my past registry posts on Nursery Items and Strollers as well. The next registry blog post will be on nursing and feeding.

Happy Pinning!

Registering for Baby - Car Seat, Strollers & Accessories

This is part 2 in my series for registering for baby (last week's post can be found here).  Now the Baby Gear is where you are going to spend the most money, and is probably the most important as well. You really need to do your research and figure out which products work for you. When looking at car seats it is important to obviously look at safety, but also how heavy is the carseat. Or for the stroller how easy does it move, where are you going to use the stroller, etc. Here are some of the things I registered for or things I learned along the way.

I registered at Buy Buy Baby and Pottery Barn, but ended up completing all my registry items on Amazon. Looking back I should have gone with Amazon over Buy Buy Baby. If you haven't started your registry yet I would check out Amazon to Create an Amazon Baby Registry.

• Infant Car Seat - Uppa Baby Mesa is what we have. Great and snaps into the base easily. Also goes great with the stroller. Has feature to use with a seat belt for cab rides as well. We didn't order an extra car seat base because we always just take my car. With the latch system it is easy to transfer from car to car if we need to. 
  
• Car Seat Head and Body Support - These are illegal in some states. Plus with the new carseats you don't need them and they don't fit. However, we used ours in the Mamaroo spring for the first 6 weeks since we didn't register for the infant insert. At the end of the day I probably wouldn't register for one. 
• Seat Protector Mat - We bought the summer infant one off of Amazon and I highly recommend if you have leather seats. I also registered for the Summer Infant piddle pad but need to buy it. It will be good for the big kid car seat. 
• Car Mirror - Britax car mirror. I also bought the Brica car mirror that had lights and music but returned it because I really didn't need it and it didn't work right. However I can't tell you how many times I glance into my rearview mirror and check on the baby. 
• Car Window Shade - We bought the Uppa Baby and it works great. Reviews weren't great but we haven't had one problem. 
• Car Seat Bunting and Cover - We love our JJ Cole Bunting for visiting NYC and the mountains. I also use it in my Bob stroller when we are walking around the neighborhood. HOWEVER I recently discovered 7AM buntings and if you live in an area where it is cold I would get this in a heartbeat. 
  
• Stroller Mittens - 7AM also have great mittens that attach to your stroller so you won't lose them. Very important since you are always taking them off to fuss with the bambino. 
  
• Carseat Canopy - Never used the carseat cover. I just used one of my Aden + Anais swaddles if I had to cover the car seat in public. But it was also summer. I would definitely suggest a carseat cover if your baby is born during cold & flu season. I also bought a arm cushion for the carseat that I opened and never used once. 
• Stroller - Uppa Baby Vista. Love the bassinet feature, fits perfect with the carseat, comes with a rain cover and then also has the big kid seat. Very easy to maneuver and breakdown. Great for the city and narrow aisles. UPPA Baby also travels and does tune ups for your stroller too. We went a few weeks ago and they oiled all the wheels, gave us cleaning tips, and we left with a stroller that looked like new! 
• Stroller Accessories - When you buy the Uppa Baby travel bag the stroller is under warranty for 2 years if it gets damaged by the airline. Make sure to register both the stroller and travel bag with Uppa Baby before you travel. My lock broke off on our flight home from NYC and since I had the travel bag it was replaced. I sent pictures and they sent me a whole new frame. We also have the parent organizer for the stroller as well. I bought the cup holder but knocked it off twice in Target so now I only use it if Paul and I are traveling together. Also has great storage under the seat. And if you have a 2nd you can make it a double stroller by purchasing the rumble seat. The newest stroller can also support two infant seats which is great for twins! And last but not least the snack tray! Must have for shopping trips with your toddler!
  
• Umbrella Stroller - Uppa Baby G-Lite but get the one the GLuxe reclines. I was cheap and the extra money is totally worth it. We will use this for travel and to have a 2nd stroller. What is great about this stroller is that it is smaller and more manageable for airports. Not to mention it is a great second stroller for Dad's car too! Don't forget to get the travel bag. And the travel bag has straps so you can wear it as a backpack too! And depending on how much you are planning to use it buy the rain cover. We went on vacation and I had to buy the rain cover since it rained everyday of our vacation! So sad!
  
• Jogging Stroller - BOB which I plan to use for Stroller Strides (my Mom & Baby exercise class) and everyone swears by it for the beach too.  But the good thing is that you can be a little rougher with it and go off terraining with it. I find it really large so I only plan on using it for exercise and not taking it into stores. Not to mention doesn't have much storage. This is definitely a nice to have. My recommendation is to buy one on Craigs List used! If you do get one then I also suggest the snack tray and the parent organizer. That way the baby can snack on your walks and you have some place to put your iced coffee and cell phone!
• Stroller Hooks - I have the Mommy Hook and used it around Christmas when I had a ton of bags. Normally I just store everything under the stroller. 

So far I have been so happy with my stroller and carseat. I can't say enough good things about Uppa Baby and their products. Would love to hear what car seat and strollers you love! Let me know!

Happy Pinning!

Five on Friday - Babymoon Essentials!

Well essentials is a little dramatic but maybe highly recommended!!! I think it is the cold weather but I was going through my list of blog posts that I didn't finish and this one seemed appropriate for today.

The key to maternity clothes is buy a few essential pieces and accessorize.  In the past I would pack a new dress, bathing suit, and cover-up for each day. Sometimes I would bring multiple outfits for each day. However, my maternity clothes budget didn't let me do that. So I had to make the most out of my baby moon wardrobe.

1. SWIMSUITS
I bought 3 tankinis from Target that I LOVED for our baby moon during my second trimester!! They fit perfect and my friend also bought her swimsuits from Target when she was 8 months pregnant and they fit perfect. The Cinched Halter Tankini was our favorite. We both bought it in multiple colors. I also ordered swimsuits from Old Navy, Motherhood Maternity and Asos that didn't support or fit me so I ended up returning them.

By the time June came and I was 8 months pregnant I decided that I wanted to add another swimsuit to my rotation. We live on the lake and I was planning on being in the water a lot. For this swimsuit since I was VERY LARGE  I splurged on a Pea in the Pod swimsuit. I can't tell you how much I loved this suit. And you are in luck the swimsuit is currently half price right now, but they only have it in large. Which is the size I wore during my pregnancy! If you are going to splurge I definitely recommend the Pea in the Pod Maternity swimwear.

2. COVERUPS
Well not going to lie I wore the same one all the time! Or I wore a sundress over my bathing suit. This was one item that I didn't go nuts with. I loved the coverup I got from Motherhood Maternity. I might actually still wear it since it was so soft and comfortable. For $25 I definitely got my use out of it.

3. SUN PROTECTION

Now let's talk sunscreen! I am a HUGE HUGE HUGE fan of Beautycounter! I have spoken about them a few times on my blog. When I was pregnant and still I started to read all the ingredients in my beauty products and become very picky about the products I use. Check out the EWG Skin Deep website for more information about sunscreen. 

Beautycounter Protect Broad Spectrum SPF 30 Face Sunscreen

And we can't forget that pretty face. If you remember from my Kentucky Derby post I am obsessed with the Marley Lilly Monogramed hat. Not to mention it is SO reasonable. I used this hat on all my vacation and all summer long.

Marley Lilly Floppy Hat

For the shades I go with the classic Ray-Bans if I want to look trendy, however if I want to actually see I am stuck with my Kate Spade prescription sunglasses which I have had for 4 years now. I also wore my Tory Burch sunglasses for the Baby moon but then scratched the lens so they had to be retired. 

4. READING

For reading since this is a baby moon we need to bring on the baby books to read between old issues of US Magazine and Vanity Fair! This is vacation after all so I only brought 1 book which I loved. The Happiest Baby on The Block by Harvey Karp was the BEST baby book I read. I buy it for all my pregnant friends. All of my tricks to get A to sleep came from this book. Not only does it give you the tricks but tells you signs on when they are getting overstimulated. And most importantly I learned about the white noise app (future blog post!!). I highly highly highly recommend this book. Also, I felt like most pregnancy books were extremely negative about pregnancy and basically scared me. This book is strictly about tips and tricks on understanding your child. GREAT vacation read and helped me feel more confident about getting my baby to sleep at night!! 

5. MOCKTAILS

Just because you are pregnant doesn't mean you shouldn't be able to enjoy some fun drinks in the sun. I was getting really creative during my pregnancy. If you need some ideas on Mocktails check out some of my old blog posts (Strawberry Mint Smash, Jalapeño Moscow Mule, Coconut Lime Cilantro Cooler, Raspberry Lime Rickeys and more!. Most bartenders will even help suggest some Mocktails if you tell them that you are pregnant and looking for something fun. 

I know I didn't mention sundresses, beach bags, etc but this is 5 on Friday!! I will say for sundresses I loved Seraphine for my nicer cotton dresses, and then for cheaper sundresses I had great luck with Target and Old Navy. Beach bags I alternate with my "vintage" straw J Crew bags from 10 years ago. How those bags haven't unraveled yet I haven't a clue! 

Happy Pinning and Stay Warm! 

Linking up with a. liz adventures, carolina charm, hello! happiness, the good life blog, Karli,  Jennie, Rebecca, and Amanda!

Registering for Baby - Nursery and Decor

We are having a baby boom with my friends!! Since having my baby in August I know I have been slacking on my posts. However, in 2015 I am going to start working on posting more. Not to mention I need to stop buying clothes for the bambino!! My friends have asked advice on what to register for and that got me thinking of doing a few blog posts on what I registered/use on a daily basis. I am going to break it up by section just so that it isn't too overwhelming.

Check out my pictures of my nursery for more details regarding what to register for! I registered at BuyBuy Baby and Pottery Barn Kids. However, if I were to do it again I would definitely also suggest Amazon. Everyone loves FREE shipping plus the products are so much cheaper then BuyBuy Baby!Shop Amazon - Create an Amazon Baby Registry

Here are some of my recommendations based on the nursery, and remember these are my opinions! 

Nursery & Decor Registry Ideas

• Bassinet - We borrowed a Safety First bassinet from a friend. We loved the light and vibrating feature of the bassinet. I can't seem to find the exact model we used however Target has a Simmons bassinet that we considered as well. We had heard good things about the Serena and Lilly Moses basket as well but with the cat decided not. We used the bassinet for the first 3 months. 





• Crib - Pottery Barn Kendall Crib and order online. We had a lot of issues with the Charlotte store, however after e-mailing Pottery Barn about my issues the General Manager reached out. We felt that this was extremely well priced and then when our daughter gets bigger we will get her a big kid bed, and possibly pass the crib on to bambino #2!!

• Crib Mattress - To keep it simple and since we were purchasing a few things at the same time we also got out mattress at Pottery Barn. According to the store manager their isn't a difference so we went with the cheaper Lullaby mattress. You can use it for the baby, and then flip it for the toddler bed. 
• Waterproof Mattress Pads - You will definitely need these for the night time accidents. We ordered 2 on Amazon so we would be able to put fresh sheets on the bed, and not have to worry about the dirty ones until the morning.  Carter's Keep Me Dry Waterproof. 
• Fitted Crib Sheets - Order at least 3 that way you have extras in case of late night emergencies!
• Changing Table/Dresser - We ordered the Larkin from Pottery Barn Kids. The changing table and top drawer can be removed when we don't need it anymore. I hated to spend money on just a changing table. I love how this one converts!

• Changing Pad - They have a large range of changing pads, however we just went with the cheapest which happened to be the Summer Infant and came with a strap to secure them. We have been extremely happy with ours and not sure why they range from $20-$50.  
• Changing Pad Covers - Order 2 which makes it easier to swap in case of accidents (do you see the theme?). We have the Carters Changing Pad Cover which I love because they are so soft and for us the perfect shade of pink.  I also like the aden + anais changing pad covers but they didn't match my room!

• Changing Pad Liners - SO important and get 2 packs (6 total). Have these down on all your changing pad areas and then if they get dirty you toss in the wash rather then changing the pad cover. We have the Boppy Changing Pad liners. I stashed these everywhere and one of my favorite finds. 

• Glider - I was convinced we would never use the chair and didn't want to invest. So we got the Eddie Bauer Glider from Target. It is white with great cushioning and we LOVE it. I use it every morning and most nights feeding the baby.

• Sound/White Noise Machine - We have a sleep sheep and not sure how useful it is. I find the free white noise app in the Apple Store which was so much more useful. Anytime the baby got overwhelmed or over stimulated we would play it and she instantly quieted down. We used to joke that it was our magic machine because of how well it worked. Also, make sure to find an old iPod and save it for the baby. You can run pandora and the white noise app on it. 

• Hamper - Due to how often you do laundry with a newborn I highly recommend getting a tote bag. That way you can take it with you every morning. I used to fill mine up with dirty laundry, bottles, etc that we accumulated during the night. And then as we went to bed I would bring it upstairs with all the times we would need that night. 

• Crib Skirt and Curtains - I ordered from Pottery Barn Kids. I went with a neutral crib skirt so I could switch out different sheets. I didn't order a bumper or quilts. I got a few really nice blankets that I had hanging on the side of the crib before the baby was born. However now that the bambino is here we don't keep anything in the crib. 
• Mobile - The one we bought came with a holder! If you are going to order a mobile make sure it either comes with the hanger or you register for the hanger too!  I do like the Manhattan Toy Company mobile. She has the travel mobile that we are obsessed with. The travel mobile clips on the stroller and carseat.

 

• Diaper Organizer - Bought one and use it to hold burp clothes and bibs in Baby's A's rom. 
• Wall Hangings/Decals - Etsy has great decals that can be personalized. The one we purchased was super easy to put up and shipped quickly. Check out Etsy, Minted for other cute ideas. Ikea is always good for frames as well. 
  
• Storage Baskets and Bins - I love the Serena and Lilly baskets. Super cute and they are always having sales. Pottery Barn, Home Goods, TJ Maxx etc also have great storage ideas as well. Not to mention Ikea storage solutions. I also purchased the OXO drawer dividers to help keep the dresser organized. 

• Lamp - We got one at Pottery Barn Kids and the other at Home Goods. And I like the Home Goods lamp better :). 
• Bookcase - Pottery Barn Kids has a great selection, also love IKEA. I have seen really cool ideas on Pinterest about using kitchen shelving for bookcases in the babies room. 
• Rugs - Can be from anywhere. We knew we wanted something soft and the rug at Pottery Barn Kids was the exact colors we wanted.  
• Bassinet Sheets - I just got pink ones from Babies R Us, I think we had 3-4 sets of bassinet sheets. Our baby spit up during the night so I changed the bassinet sheets every night. 
• Baby Sized Hangers - I ordered from Amazon (3 sets) and then got the OXO hanger clips to keep clothes together (hats, matching bibs, etc). 
• Closet Dividers - Ordered on Amazon. Good for organizing clothes before the baby is born. Now I feel like it is a free for all since she wears 3-6 months shirts, 6-9 month onesies, etc! 

Phew did I totally overwhelm you? Well although this looks like a lot of stuff you won't believe how much you will use!

Next week I will focus on Baby Gear and Travel!!

Happy Pinning! 

Lil A's Nursery

So my goal for 2015 is to be a better mommy blogger. Since I have had lil A I have started multiple postings but have yet to actually post any of them. So if you see a gazillion posts about baby it is because I am just finishing all those posts.

As soon as I found out I was pregnant I planned 2 nurseries, one for a boy and one for a girl. I knew I wanted a little girl's room that was soft, cozy and most of all totally girly! The day we found out we were having a girl we ordered all the furniture, lamps, curtains, rugs, etc! I was that prepared to pull the trigger. This is a picture of my Pinterest inspiration for A's room.

Project Nursery

If you are looking for nursery ideas definitely check out Project Nursery. I pinned so many ideas from this website.

Check out all of my Nursery Pinterest ideas and inspiration here.

and here is the final product... well final before the bambino arrived! Since Christmas we received so many new toys, books, dolls, etc it looks like an entirely different room.

The Kendall Pottery Barn crib (on sale now) has been a great find. However this is our second one since the first one was damaged. In the crib we have a Serena & Lily Letter Pillow (on sale now), a Bunny from Pottery Barn, Jellycat Ballerina Bunny, Sleep Sheep and a kitten we bought the day A was born in the hospital gift shop. Bedding is from Pottery Barn Kids and went with the Claire bedding and for extra sheets purchase the Elyse. Once we move into our new home I am going to purchase Serena & Lily sheets as well. The Wall decal and heart bunting are both from Easy. While the mobile is from Buy Buy Baby (can't find the link). 

Make Way For Ducklings was used as a guest book at my Boston shower, the elephant piggy bank is a gift who visited  Thailand, and the duck is from Ikea. I couldn't resist buying it! 

The Pottery Barn Cameron bookcase holds a lot of fun gifts. The jewelry box was mine as a little child, the kangaroo I bought when I studies abroad in Australia, the fish toys A's Dad bought her when we found out we were pregnant. The lamp on the bookcase and most of the pictures frames I found at Homegoods or TJ Maxx. And currently all of the pictures hold our wedding/engagement photos but it is my goal to switch them out once A has more photoshoots! Have to brag about the Hot pink Jonathan Adler frame that I bought for $14 at the Off Saks outlet. We also received a beautiful silver cat piggy bank, and a Pottery Barn bunny bank that was personalized. I also couldn't resist the Eiffel Tower piggy bank from Pier1. Some of the books were mine from my childhood as well as my grandparents! 

The rocking horse we found at a tag sale, the doll on the rocking chair was mine as a child. The Eddie Bauer rocking chair was bought at Target and I can't say enough about this chair. I didn't want to put a lot of money into a rocking chair, however this is the most comfortable chair and I use it daily. Not to mention it was the exact color I wanted. 

Aden +Anais Swaddles and Pottery Barn Blankets in Serena & Lily Basket which I love! The basket was part of a gift and I can't wait for them to go on sale so I can order more!

The Larkin Hi-Lo dresser/changing table is from Pottery Barn Kids. We can remove the top pieces once A gets bigger and we won't need them anymore. I got the changing pad cover at Babie's R Us and is made by Carters. If you are pregnant and registering for presents make sure to also register for the waterproof changing pads. I put them on top of the changing pad cover and if they get dirty I just toss in the laundry. The canisters on the dresser are from Anthropologie. You Are My Happy artwork and Addison Curtains are from Pottery Barn Kids. The other artwork is from Minted and Etsy which I framed in Ikea frames. 

Lamp, Lamp Shade and Diaper Caddy (similar can be found here) are all from Pottery Barn Kids. The  Kate Spade notebook on the Ikea Hemnes night stand sits along with picture frames and a coaster (obviously). In my head when I was planning the nursery I envisioned myself sipping tea, rocking the baby, and also journaling her new developments. To this day (5 months later) I have only accomplished rocking the baby! Maybe one day! 

I just loved how everything came together. It was exactly what I was envisioning and loved all the little touches we were able to incorporate. We can't wait to fill those bookcases full of books to read, as well as dolls to play with! Next up is working on a playroom for our new home. Check out my Playroom Pinterest board to see my inspirations.

Happy Pinning!