but before i do that, i've been meaning to write about all of elise's most used baby items. bryant's sister lindsay is expecting a baby boy and i have a few pregnant friends (now and the future!), and so i wanted to list all the things i recommend registering for or buying. i remember being SO. COMPLETELY. OVERWHELMED. by ALLLLLL the baby stuff out there. it's impossible to know what is actually useful and what is just snazzy marketing. and keep in mind that every baby is different, so my list may look different from another person's list. i got a few things that other people highly recommended, but they are still sitting in a closet somewhere. but anyway, onto the list!
Tiny Love Symphony in Motion Mobile
I actually didn't plan on getting a mobile because I thought they were just for decoration. Bry convinced me to get one and so I bought a cute one that got high reviews on Amazon. Elise liked it but didn't really respond actively to it. Well, after seeing my friend's baby go crazy with this mobile and then seeing Elise respond the same way with it, I decided to buy one on craigslist for like $20. Elise LOVES it! She squeals and laughs at it everyday. I never would have thought to buy this mobile because it's so hideous, but I guess babies have a different aesthetic in mind.
Baby Swing
I bought this $130 (what?!) swing for $30 on craigslist. Elise used to take her naps in this for several weeks, although I do know other babies use it for much longer. When you just need a break to put baby down somewhere, swings are invaluable. I hear babies really prefer these expensive swings so I'd recommend getting a used one. Ours ended up breaking, and so I called Fisher-Price and they issued us a $90 refund even though I told them it was a hand-me-down! These swings take up a lot of space and it's used for a relatively short period of time, but it's sooo worth it!
We have a different bouncer seat. It was a hand-me-down and so old that I can't even find it online. All this to say, you don't need a fancy bouncer chair, although this one did get pretty good reviews. A bouncer seat is really helpful for when you need to put baby down somewhere for you to have a few minutes to yourself. It's also nice to sit face-to-face with baby so that you can have smiley contests with each other. :) This is probably my most used baby item.
This is the #1 selling baby item on Amazon. I used to think people were crazy to buy a $15 chewtoy, but now that Elise is using it, I can see why. She just loves this thing! She goes to town just chewing on Sophie's face, ears, legs, neck, etc. And she's not even teething yet! I don't know what it is about the design of this toy, but it is really conducive to baby play.
OK, my computer is acting really wonky despite me restarting it multiple times (arghh!), so I'm just going to list the rest of the items:
5) gym playmat-- another thing Bryant convinced me to get despite my hesitation. i used to think these things were just distractions from pure parent-child bonding, but babies actually love playing on these things.
6) exersaucer or jumparoo-- we haven't tried ours yet because elise is too small, but my parent friends swear by these. i hope it's worth it because it takes up a lot of space! we got it for $10 on craigslist.
7) diaper changing pad-- don't need a cover even though we have one. an organic one at that. someone told me that babies don't like the cold vinyl feel of the changing pad, but elise doesn't mind and she gets excited and happy every time we change her diaper.
8) video monitor: i read that video monitors are unnecessary (over sound monitors) but i really like being able to see her move around if she is stirring. and i have to admit that sometimes i just stare at it and smile when she's sleeping. :)
9) snap-n-go stroller frame: this is really useful if you will use your stroller a lot the first 6 months. since i go on walks everyday, i need something that elise's carseat will quickly and easily snap into. when she outgrows this, we are transitioning her to a city mini stroller (a great urban stroller).
10) baby ktan: i love this baby carrier. it's a lot easier than the moby and other wrap styles and it's really comfortable. the only downside is that it is size-specific so bryant couldn't use it (but he used the ergo and baby bjorn instead).
11) soft-structured carrier: we have two of them, both hand me downs. the ergo and the baby bjorn. soft-structured carriers are kind of pricey and babies react differently to them. elise doesn't really last long in either carrier, unfortunately. i'd recommend trying out different carriers with your baby before buying one. there are babywearing groups out there that help facilitate that.
12) nosefrida baby nasal aspirator: a must have! babies hate it but it is way better than the bulb one that the hospital will give you
Hurry up and post some more videos and pics!!!
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