Must-Have Products for New Moms!

 

Must-Have Monday is back with some of my favorite products especially for new moms!

1.  Nursing tanks.  Both of my kids are warm-weather babies, but nursing tanks are essential for any season.  I'm a fan of the tanks from Target for wear around the house and even to bed, but even if you're not a nursing mama, this Undercover Mama Nursing Tank Top is still essential.  The tank hooks to your nursing bra so you don't have extra straps to worry about and I don't know what it is about the material, but it has a slimming quality, which every new mom needs to feel better about her new body!  Wearing a nursing tank under your regular shirt allows you to quickly, conveniently, and discreetly nurse your baby while showing very little skin.  I have two, and even though my nursing journey is coming to an end, I wouldn't mind having a few more.




2.  The Wet Hair Brush.  This brush is seriously ah-may-zing.  My only regret is that I did not know about it sooner.  My hair is longish, and this brush gets the kinks out with very little effort or pain.






3.  LilyPadz Reusable Silicone Nursing Pads.  These nursing pads are the best!  They stick right onto the breast and they're not bulky, so even if you're wearing a nursing tank or a sleeping bra, they're pretty discreet.  They're also perfect for nursing in your swim suit at the pool.  They last for quite a while too.  I used them with both of my children, and I only needed one set per kid.

4.  Mommy Necklace.  I wrote about my love for Mommy Necklaces here.  They are stylish and safe to wear around your baby and/or toddler.  They keep a nursing baby from getting distracted and they are fun for baby to play with while they're in the carrier.  Don't worry about baby breaking the necklace, it has a special clasp that makes it very difficult for even me to take off!




5.  iBabyLog app.  This app is the best, especially for new, tired mommies.  You can track baby's feeding times (bottle or breast), which side (if breastfeeding), sleep times, play times, diaper changes, medications, etc.  The app is totally free!!! And, you can share information with other caregivers who have the app as well!






All of the products will make your life as a new mommy easier, guaranteed!  Should anything be added to the list?  Please comment and it will be featured in an upcoming post!

Must-Have Monday: Baby Toys for 6-12 Months

Must-Have Monday...it's back!!  I admit, I got a little bogged down with the must-haves.  To be honest, nothing is really a must-have.  I mean, food, water, shelter.  Those are must-haves.  Baby toys? Not really.  But, I like making lists.  And I like sharing my favorite things.  Call me Oprah.  Without the money.  Baby girl got a TON of toys for Christmas.  More than any baby needs, if you ask me.  She'd be happy with a box and a remote.  But a real remote.  Not one of those fake Fisher Price deals.  She knows the difference.  Baby genius.  But anyways, I thought I'd share some of her favorites.  If you can even call it that.  Do I really know they are her favorite?  No.  It's not like she's talking to me, telling me, "Hey, I really like that toy over there.  You should put it on your blog so other babies who have sucker mommies will buy it for them too!"  But, she does show some preference to some toys.  And there are some toys that I just really enjoy as well.

1.  Green Toys .  My sister-in-law found them in a specialty toy store, but I found them on Amazon.  I win.  First of all, they're made in the USA. Who doesn't love that?  Second, they're green.  Not the color green. Well, some of them are.  But they're made from recycled milk jugs!  We have these stacking cups and a little toy car.  So while you're teaching baby how to stack (they also nest for easy storage), you can also teach her about the environment and recycling.  Kidding.  Kind of.  They also have numbers 1-6 printed on them and they also are "volumetrically accurate."  Who knew volumetrically was a word?  I think I like it.  Anyways, as baby gets older, you can teach math concepts with these as well.  If you pour water in the cup labeled 1 and the cup labeled 2, together they will fill up the cup labeled 3.  Pretty cool, right?  I'm excited to make a water/sand table this summer and play with these.

2. Bright Starts Having A Ball Toys, Count and Roll Buggie.  This is just about the cutest thing I've ever seen.  First of all, it teaches counting and numbers.  It also teaches hand-eye coordination, because babies put the balls into the bug to make it start.  Once all three balls are placed in the bug, it starts rolling around and playing music, then eventually the wings open and dumps the balls out.  My baby is not a crawler yet, but I'm sure she will have so much fun chasing them around.  Fair warning, it doesn't roll very well on carpeted floors, but everything else works great.

3. Fisher Price Laugh & Learn Toys.  We have more Fisher Price Laugh & Learn toys than I know what to do with.  We have the medical kit, shopping tote, vanity mirror, and lamp, among others.  I actually just bought the Learning Home second hand on a local selling wall. Big time score!  Baby girl and her big brother LOVE to have tea parties though.  I dare say he enjoys it more than she does right now!  He was very disappointed when a little girl in his class had a tea party for her birthday and only invited the girls.  :(  The tea pot sings and counts.  It also teaches manners by saying, "please" and "thank you" and has sound effects as you tip the kettle to "pour" into the cup.  Of course, it's always fun to pretend to eat the yummy desserts.

4.  Cloth Crinkle Books Of course, books are always a great thing for kids of all ages.  Baby girl especially loves the touch and feel books right now, but the cloth crinkle books are also a great option.  My kid loves the sound of the paper at the doctor's office.  The crinkle books make the same sound, and she goes wild for them!

So these are just a few of our favorite toys right now.  The neat thing about these toys is that they really do grow with the child.  So if your child begins to get bored, put them away for a while and get them back out in a few months.  Just don't be like me with my first and put toys away and never get them back out again!  Anyone else have other recommendations for baby toys?  Feel free to comment to add to the list!


This post contains Amazon affiliate links, but I was not paid for the review of any items.  I, or someone else who loves to spoil my kid bought everything on this list for her.  

Mommy Necklaces-Perfect for the Nursing Mother!

Between my two kids, I have nursed for 21 months, and still going strong with the baby girl.  Because I worked with my oldest, he mostly got bottles of pumped milk during the week, but I always nursed him on the weekends.  Since I'm home with baby girl, she nurses exclusively.  Even with all my experience, I never realized how distracted the nursing baby can get!  As much as you can say, "I've been there, done that," kids will always surprise you.  When I found Mommy Necklaces, I decided I needed to get one.  I was so pleasantly surprised by how much both myself and baby girl enjoyed it that I decided to contact the company to see if they would be willing to giveaway a necklace to one of my readers.  And guess what....(drumroll..)..they said YES!

So what are Mommy Necklaces?

Mommy Necklaces are durable, yet stylish necklaces that moms can feel safe wearing around their babies.  My child has already broken one of my gold chain necklaces, but I don't have to worry about her pulling on my Mommy Necklace.  Mommy Necklaces come in several different designs.  The original, dangling donut strand is designed to catch the eye of a nursing baby.  The necklace can be worn with or without the donut charm.  They also offer teether donut strands, that I just might be purchasing in the near future!  The locked donut strands are another option, but the donut charm cannot be removed.  Flat facets and short strands are other Mommy Necklace designs.

The faceted rocks strand is what I purchased, and love.  It's trendy, and reminds me of the beautiful costume jewelry that you can purchase at parties, but for a whole lot more money.  Unlike the Mommy Necklaces, that jewelry is not safe around babies.  The standard length of the faceted rocks strand is 20" but you can pay a little extra for a longer length.  I wear a lot of v-neck shirts, and I do wish my necklace was a bit longer, both for style and for practicality.  My baby loves to play with my necklace, especially while nursing, and a longer strand would make it easier.

There are several color options to choose from as well.  So much, in fact, that it makes it so difficult to choose just one!  I went with Entice, which I think matches both my style and my personality.  I'm not into flashy, showy jewelry, and the light purple, cream, and light green beads are easy to match most of my outfits.

photo credit: www.mommynecklaces.com

For my giveaway, I chose the the Nourish Necklace in black and white.  It is a standard 34" strand, the perfect length for a fiddling, feeding baby!

photo credit: www.mommynecklaces.com

How do I enter?

a Rafflecopter giveaway This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only (sorry readers in China!).  The giveaway ends on February 11, 2015 at 12:00 midnight EST.  I purchased my own Mommy Necklace and contacted the company for a giveaway.  They provided this giveaway necklace in exchange for an honest review.   

The No-Sippy, No-Straw Solution!

Baby girl WILL NOT drink from a sippy cup.  It's probably due to the fact that she has never really been forced to take a bottle, but now that she's eating solid food three times a day, she NEEDS to drink some water!  We've tried Nuby and Munchkin brands, both soft spouts, and all she wants to do is chew on the spout.  I'm guessing some eventually gets in, because her bib is soaked by the time we take it away from her.  We've also tried straws, and she will let me just pour some into her mouth from the straw, but actually drinking from the straw?  Forget about it!  I am starting to get worried for when she does eventually wean and needs to take liquids from something other than me!  After researching other sippy cups that might work for our stubborn little angel, I came up with a solution of my own.

Introducing...the No-Sippy, No-Straw Solution!

Inspired by the spoutless cups designed for toddlers that I found on Amazon, I used a small square of Glad Press 'n Seal and placed it over a regular cup.  I then poked a small hole in the covering.  The hole in the picture actually turned out to be a bit too big and I will make it smaller next time.  Next, because I am dealing with an 8 month old, I held the cup for her and allowed her to drink from it.  The Press 'n Seal kept me from pouring a too-large amount into her mouth.  She wanted to try to hold the cup herself, but without handles it was a little difficult.  I think this is also the perfect solution for toddlers transitioning from a sippy to a regular cup.  I learned the hard way that kids need to learn how to drink from a regular cup before they go to preschool! 

Do you have a stubborn, no-sippy, no-straw baby?  What solutions do you have?  If you try this, let me know how it works for you!  

Sensory Bags for Babies

I got "pinspired" this weekend and made a sensory bag for my 8 month old.  I can't even believe I have an 8 month old. Where the heck does time go?!  Yesterday was one of those days where it seemed whatever I did, I could not keep her happy or entertained for more than 10 minutes.  She got a TON of new toys at Christmas.  We worked our way through each toy until there were no more left.  Instead of rotating back through, I hopped on Pinterest and looked up "Activities for babies."  Of course, I got a million and one pins that I didn't have time to go through, but a sensory bag activity caught my eye and I decided to go for it.

My sensory bag was inspired by Plain Vanilla Mom but she used hair gel in her bag, and let's be honest here, I don't even dry my hair let alone put product in it, so I didn't have any hair gel laying around the house.  I did have dish soap, though, and that is what I used.  All you need is a gallon-sized Ziploc bag, some duct tape, dish soap, and little trinkets you can put inside the bag.  Everything I used I had in my house.

I first duct taped the sides of the bag.  Next, I dumped in the dish soap.  I used about 1/3 of the bottle shown here.  Then I scrounged up as many little trinkets I could find.  We had just cleaned the play room the day before, or else I probably wouldn't have had to look so hard!  I ended up putting in some plastic easter grass, a nickel, a penny, a square of bubble wrap, some plastic paper clips, some water beads, and (my favorite!) some glitter.  After adding everything inside the bag, I zipped it and sealed it with two layers of duct tape.  

Finally, I let baby girl have at it!  She loved it!  I had to show her what to do at first, but she loved smushing the dish soap around and feeling all of the different textures.  She had to be very closely supervised, though, because she does still enjoy putting everything in her mouth.  Those two teeth she has are very sharp and I didn't want her to puncture the bag.  A happy accident that occurred since I used dish soap is the more she played with it, it started to form bubbles.  That was fun for her (and my five-year-old) to see.  

So...You Want to Breastfeed?

 

I am a proud breastfeeding momma.  I nursed my son until he was a year old and my daughter is six months old and still going strong.  I went back to work when my son was six weeks old, so I pumped milk for him and he got it through the bottle.  Neither of my children have ever had a drop of formula.  I'm not into playing "Mommy Wars" but I really feel like if you truly want to breastfeed your children, you can and will.  I hate hearing "Oh, I really wanted to breastfeed, but my milk didn't come in" or "I breastfed for two weeks before I dried up."  Sorry, I don't buy that.  I'm going on 19 months in my breastfeeding career, if you will, and I've never had those concerns.  There are very few health impairments that would cause a mother not to breastfeed their children.  I have more respect for the women who choose not to breastfeed because it's just not for them than those who make up every excuse in the book about why it didn't work.  In my opinion, it's more of a perceived convenience problem for those mothers.  For some reason that I truly do not understand, people believe it is more convenient to bottle feed their child.  I'm really not sure what is more convenient than breasts you have with you everywhere you go...

If you truly want to breastfeed your children whether it be for the health benefits of both you and your child, the bonding, the convenience of it, or all of the above, this post is for you.

Take a class.  When I was pregnant with my son, a breastfeeding class was offered along with our childbirth classes.  This class was given by a nurse who was also a lactation consultant.  We watched videos, practiced different holds, and were given many valuable resources.  Though you don't truly know what to expect until you are holding that little baby in your arms trying to teach her to nurse, it really helps to be prepared.  My hospital also offered a class after the baby was born.  I attended that as well, but the one I took prior to birth was more informative.

Seek the help of a lactation consultant.  My firstborn was the toughest to nurse.  We were both learning and I didn't know how to help him.  My hospital is breastfeeding friendly and had lactation consultants on hand to support you in any way possible.  She really helped me with proper positioning and latch.  I didn't need the help with my daughter...she latched on right from the start...but the lactation consultant called my room three different times throughout our 8-day stay to see if I needed her.  I felt so bad telling her no all the time, I almost had her come in anyways!

Have a supportive partner.  My husband is pretty good about trusting my decision making, especially when it comes to the children.  He never once doubted that breastfeeding was what was best.  He never tried to convince me to "just give the baby a bottle."  My baby girl doesn't take to bottles very well so we don't get out much without her, and that is perfectly ok with him.  My husband attended the breastfeeding class with me, and I think that helped as well.  In the beginning with both children, he would help me get situated with pillows, help position the baby, and bring me water and snacks.  I've heard mothers say, "I want the dad to be able to bond with the baby too." There are plenty of other ways for a father to bond with his child.  Nothing would ever compare a nursing baby's bond with his mother.

Where there's a will.  I put it into my mind I was going to breastfeed, and I didn't look back.  I never looked at formula as an option.  In fact, I don't know that we've ever even kept formula in the house.  Anytime my children and I were together, I was breastfeeding.  Not 24/7 of course, but if I was with my children, they did not receive bottles.  I believe that is why I was able to successfully pump for 11 months with my son.  My milk supply was maintained by my child nursing in the evenings and on the weekends because the body responds better to a baby than to a breast pump.

My go-to website for anything breastfeeding related is www.kellymom.com.  This is where I learned that I had a fast let-down and how to curb it.  This site is where I go to check what medications are ok to take while breastfeeding.  I also learned the best pumping techniques and how much milk I would need to pump while I was at work.  Neat little factoid:  Babies only need one ounce of breast milk for each hour they are away from you.  Unlike formula, this never changes!  My son took two four-ounce bottles of breast milk from the time he was an infant until he was a year old.  Your milk changes to meet the baby's needs...so cool.   There is also a directory of lactation consultants and a wealth of other information.  I highly recommend you check them out!

Must Haves for Airplane Travel with Kids

It's Must-Have Monday!  I'll be honest, I'm starting to struggle coming up with these "must-have" lists.  But, since we just recently booked our next Disney trip (June 2015!), I thought this would be a good topic.  We have traveled with my son since he was a year old.  Our next Disney trip will be his 7th trip!  All seven trips we have taken an airplane.  It's probably safe to say he's been on a plane at least 10 times.  Each time is different.  Once, when I was traveling with him alone (he was two), we had to make a stop at Dulles.  It was just supposed to be a stop--no changing planes.  The best-laid plans right?  Well, as we were taxiing to our gate, our plane got hit by a fuel truck!  No joke!  There was no real emergency, but they did make us exit the plane and wait for a new one before continuing on to our final destination.  I must say, it's always a fun story to tell.  Definitely one for the baby book.

Since I feel like I'm somewhat an expert in the area of flying with kids, here are my must-haves for airplane travel with children.

1.  A Car Seat.  Don't check it; bring it on the plane with you and have your child sit in it.  Number one, it's safer and the FAA recommends it.  Number two, it keeps your kid contained during the entire flight.  I've been on many a flights (remember, we're always going to Disney) where kids are all over the place; in the aisles, standing on the seats, etc.  Not my kid.  He's always well-behaved strapped in his car seat.  Number three, you have your own seat if you are renting a car when you reach your destination.  Your kid will be comfortable and safe.

2.  An iPad or Tablet & Headphones.  You already know that we are an iPad family.  An iPad on an airplane is a must-have because it helps pass the time quickly.  Even our two-hour flights to Florida get a little long, so an iPad allows your kids to watch a movie, play games, read books, listen to music, etc.  Headphones?  Well those are for all the people around you.  Yes, I have actually been on flights where the children were using an iPad without headphones.  Very annoying.  We buy the kid-size ones, not earbuds, they're more comfortable and your kid is more likely to use them.

3.  Snacks & Sippy Cup.  If you're on a flight that is only a couple of hours, the flight attendants typically only come around once with snacks and drinks.  If you're traveling through rough air, they may not even reach your seat.  Bring pre-packaged snacks (fruit snacks, small bags of animal crackers or chips, etc.) or package your own in snack bags.  DO NOT bring a huge bag of pretzels!  Bring more than you think you'll need, and don't forget about your return trip.  If your child is sippy cup age, make sure you bring one on the airplane with you (and don't forget to pack a few in your luggage as well). I have even spilled those tiny airplane cups before, so you can imagine the damage a three-year-old can do.  If you are bringing a baby on board a plane, TSA will allow you to bring formula or breast milk through security.  They just have to test it first.

4.  Quiet Activities.  Although I think the rules are starting to change, typically electronic devices cannot be used until you reach 10,000 feet.  This means no iPad until you are well under way.  Bring a small book, a few toys, a coloring book or (even better!) a Color Wonder book.  We brought a latches puzzle with us once, and that was great, but it was kind of bulky in the carry-on.  I've also seen those really neat quiet books that you can make.  I'm thinking about making one for the baby for our trip next June.  Remember, any activities you bring can also double as rainy-day or even restaurant activities when you reach your destination.

5.  Blanket & Travel Pillow.  Airplanes are cold!  Chances are, you're bringing your kid's blanky with you on vacation anyways, so you might as well throw it in your carry-on to bring on the airplane as well.  My son loves his little "Nemo" travel pillow.  You know, the kind that wraps around your neck?  It makes for a comfortable airplane ride, and it's also a special lovey to have at your home-away-from-home for the duration of your trip.

What We're Reading Wednesday: Moo, Baa, La La La!

 

Ok, I'm going to admit it, my What We're Reading Wednesday is kinda lame.  We haven't been to the library the last few weeks, and my son's current (if you count the last 3 years as current) obsession is superheroes, so we've been reading a lot of superhero books lately.  The other day I mentioned that we went to the bookstore.  As much as I encouraged him to get the newest Otis book, we ended up with Guardians of the Galaxy .  There wasn't much argument from me because 1.) he's choosing his own books, that is a great skill to build as he gets older; and 2.) The hardback Otis was like $14.99 and Guardians was $5.99.  We're big-time budgeting, remember?  Actually, I just looked on Amazon and Otis and the Scarecrow is only $10.86.  Halloween present, perhaps?!

Sooo...like I said, we ended up with Guardians.  But, now that we have two children, one couldn't get a book and not the other.  I know, she's only five months and doesn't know any different, but that's beside the point.  Momma loves buying books.  What did baby girl end up with?

 

Moo Baa La La La by Sandra Boynton

Yes, this book is as old as me, but it is so cute!  Just look at those animals!  I'm fairly certain this is not the first time that title has entered our household, but I haven't seen it lately, so we now have another copy.  Baby girl is at the age where she L-O-V-E-S funny noises.  She especially loves when her big brother makes those funny noises, so this is the perfect book for him to practice his reading while entertaining little sis.  

So that's what we're reading Wednesday.  I warned you, it's not as fun as Dragons Love Tacos.  And it's probably a title you've either A.) have read once or a thousand times or B.) you could care less about a board book written for a baby.  But, that's my life these days, and I wouldn't change it for the world.  I promise, though, next week's What We're Reading Wednesday is going to be absolutely awesome.  Awesome.

**This post contains Amazon affiliate links**

Chiropractic Care to Cure GERD

 

My baby, who was nothing but absolutely perfect while I was recovering in the hospital, developed GERD, or acid reflux, shortly after we arrived home.  She was miserable, I was miserable.  Pretty much the whole family was miserable.  When you have a baby suffering from GERD, the whole house suffers.  My experience with HELLP taught me to be an advocate for my health.  Magnify that times 100 when it comes to one of my kids.  I immediately called the pediatrician.  I told them I understand the difference between a "happy spitter" and an "unhappy spitter," my baby is not happy and she is in pain.  I honestly expected a fight, but I didn't get one.  I must've been pretty assertive.  They told me to give her a 1/2 teaspoon of Maalox before every feeding for 72 hours and call them back with results.  I noticed an immediate change.  She was no longer in pain, she didn't scream at all hours, and she we didn't notice her getting the acid coming back up as much as it was.  (We could tell when she had the acid coming back up because she would get this horrific look on her face and stick her tongue out).  Because of the success she had with the Maalox, she was prescribed Zantac.  Always the scholar, I decided to do some research.  I found a few success stories with chiropractic care in treating GERD.  Right around that time, I was watching a local morning show and a chiropractor performed an adjustment on an infant.  When I saw how gentle it was, I decided we should try it.  My husband's cousin, who is a chiropractor, sent this website:  ICPA 4 Kids, which is the International Pediatric Chiropractor Association.  From this site, I was able to search for a chiropractor in our area who specializes in pediatric chiropractor care.  There were only 13 in a 25 mile radius of my home.  I chose one who was nearby and made an appointment.  Baby girl was only six weeks old.  Meeting Dr. Lisa instantly calmed any fears I was having, which to be honest, weren't a lot.  I've seen a chiropractor before and had great success.  After feeling my baby's spine and muscular area in her back, she determined what needed adjusting.  She had a little tool called an activator that she used for the adjustment, but before touching my baby with it, she let me, my husband, and even my son, feel it on our arms.  It was very gentle, and caused no pain whatsoever.  Baby C did not even flinch when she got adjusted.  In just a couple of weeks, I really noticed a difference.  Having just started the Zantac, however, I didn't know if it was the Zantac or the chiropractor, and I didn't want to take the chance of removing the Zantac quite yet.  At her two month appointment, I told the pediatrician that we were seeing a chiropractor and would she recommend trying to wean from the Zantac.  She actually told me that they tend to see an increase in acid reflux between 4-6 months and she wouldn't recommend it.  She said if I chose to wean from it, that it wouldn't hurt anything if I needed to start it back up again.  At around three months of age, I decided to stop giving the night dosage.  I didn't see any increase in pain or fussiness.  Shortly after, I cut back the morning dosage as well.  While cutting back the dosages, Baby C continued to see Dr. Lisa every two-three weeks.  By four months, she was completely off the Zantac!  We still see Dr. Lisa every few weeks.  She said we could come on an as-needed basis, but we've had so much success that I'm not willing to stop just yet.

Besides curing her acid reflux, Dr. Lisa also helped us in other ways.  Baby girl was sleeping through the night by two months of age.  I'm talking 10-12 hours!  My son didn't sleep through the night until he was weaned from the breast, so this was HUGE!  I'm personally convinced that this is from getting regular adjustments at the chiropractor.  C also had a lot of gas in the beginning and she would grunt constantly in her sleep.  Dr. Lisa suggested I start taking probiotics and that would pass to her through the breast milk.  She was very clear in the type of acidophilus that I needed to take; the kind with live bacteria that is kept refrigerated. I was able to purchase it from Whole Foods.  This enabled the baby to start passing the gas more easily, and again, was in no pain.  I don't think I could ever speak highly enough about how much Dr. Lisa has helped our family.  If your baby is suffering from GERD or acid reflux, I highly suggest finding an ICPA chiropractor!

Best Books for a Baby Shower

Whether you've been invited to a book shower, you've been asked to bring books to a baby shower, or you just want to give the gift of reading to the new bundle of joy, this list is for you!  I am a reading teacher, so I love books.  Just yesterday, my friend (another teacher) and I took our kids to the movies.  The movie ended up being a tad scary (whoops!) so we left after about five minutes.  Because the kids, who have been best friends since they were under a year old, haven't seen each other a lot lately (darn Kindergarten!), we didn't want to just go home.  We asked the kids, "Do you want to walk down to Barnes & Noble?" and were answered with screams of "YES!!!"  That's when you know you're a teacher's kid...you get excited leaving a movie to go to Barnes & Noble.  If only all kids were like that...

Without further ado, here is my semi-educated, but mostly because I love these books, list of best books to gift at a baby shower.

1.  On The Day You Were Born by Debra Frasier.  This book explains how everything in the natural world aligned, ready to greet a new baby on the day you were born.  I was given this book at my first baby shower, and we read it every year on his birthday.

2.  Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown.  "Goodnight room...goodnight moon. " The best bedtime book, hands down.  This is a classic book that many of you might remember from your childhood, and it should continue to be read by generations to come.

3.  Tickle Monster by Josie Bissett.  This is such a fun book!  What kid doesn't love to be tickled?  Kids love the anticipation of the tickle monster coming to attack!  You can also purchase tickle monster gloves to accompany the book.

4.  Love You Forever by Robert Munsch.  "I'll love you forever.  I'll like you for always.  As long as I'm living, my baby you'll be."  Another classic book that I love.  I cannot read it without crying, but it's still a book that every mother should read to their child.

5.  Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale by Mo Willems.  Every kid has their favorite lovey.  For Trixie, it's her Knuffle Bunny.  But when Knuffle Bunny gets left behind, Trixie's world turns upside down.  The pictures in this book, drawings on real black and white photographs, are absolutely amazing.

Must-Have Monday-Baby Toys

 

If you've been reading for awhile...you know, the last week or so I've been writing...then you know I have a five-month-old baby girl.  For todays Must Have Monday, I've decided to write about the five must-have baby toys for a 4-6 month old.

1.  Jumperoo.  They come in all shapes and sizes with various toys, but the premise is the same.  It's a safe place to put the baby and let her jump to her little heart's content.  They can be very pricey, although I just found the Fisher-Price Rainforest Jumperoo is on sale today for $69 on Amazon!  They're regularly $99, so this is a great deal!  That being said, I bought mine through a local selling wall on Facebook.  I just couldn't justify spending $99 (or more!) on one, especially when we only have one income currently.  So, unless Nana or Grammy is going to buy you one, I suggest checking out a local selling wall or a yard sale--just don't forget the rules! :)

2.  Baby Einstein Take Along Tunes.  My son loved this so much that I buy it for every single baby shower I attend.  It's like quiet-down crack for babies!  I even have a picture of him and my niece, who was probably seven at the time, laying on the couch just completely mesmerized by the thing.  This may be a little excessive, but we even have two.  One for the diaper bag, and one for the house.





3.  Manhattan Toy Winkel Rattle and Sensory Teether Activity Toy.  It's a rattle and teether, all rolled into one.  Smart, because let's face it, everything that baby plays goes directly in the mouth.






4. Vulli So'Pure Teether, Sophie the Giraffe.  First of all, she is absolutely adorable!  Second of all, baby loves, loves, loves to chomp down on those little horns and knobby knees.  The Sophie we have does not have the handles, but I would really recommend getting one that does.  It makes it a lot easier for baby to hang on to.





5. Taggies Little Taggies Blanket.  These were around when my son was a baby, and to be honest, I thought they were just a gimmick.  I would have never spent the money to buy him a blanket with a bunch of tags sewed to it.  Well, Baby C received one as a gift, and I would venture to say it is probably her favorite plaything.  Since then, I have seen a Kindergarten friend of my son carrying hers around and another friend of mine says her three-year-old still sleeps with her Taggie every night.  So, maybe twenty-five bucks for a silly blanket is a little excessive, but if the lovey will last her several years, it's worth it in my book.


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