8. Munchkin Bottle and Nipple Brush
Let's say you go a little obsessive-compulsive when baby arrives, like I did. There are m any reasons for doing so, so don't feel bad. My reason was thrush, and cleaning everything that touched my baby's mouth became a way of life. This thing is making cleaning bottles out SO easy. The ones that have just the bristles and no sponge are decent cleaning utensils, but this bad boy gets all the grime out quickly. Which is good when you want to get your hands out of the dishwater as soon as possible. Which you WILL WANT. The only hangup I even think about a little bit is the sponge part (germs, bacteria, misc. crap), but I'm pretty confident that I'm getting all of the water out of it and will be replacing it as soon as it starts to get icky.
7. Palmolive with Aloe for Dry Skin
For the same reasons I like the brush above and more...I LOVE this stuff. I was washing baby bottle and my hands so frequently at one point that my hands were super dry, cracked, and even bleeding a little. It SUCKED. I'm sure there are other dish liquids that are just as good and even better, but this has been helping me out a LOT.
6. My Healthy Skin Mix
I made my own mixture of organic natural stuff to sooth my skin and prevent stretch marks when I was pregnant and I liked it so much that I made another batch once I ran out after the baby was born. My mixture has shea butter, cocoa butter, coconut oil, vegetable glycerin, and vitamin e. That's it! It's really simple to make and I would tell you the amounts I used but I didn't keep very good track of it. Just don't use a whole lot of the vitamin e if you decide to make your own mix...I believe I read somewhere that too much can be bad for a baby and you don't need that much anyway. I don't have a single stretch make on my body (at least, that wasn't there before the baby, lol) and in the warmer months this was all I needed on the places I used it (chest, stomach, knees, feet, a trouble spot on one of my elbows, and now my hands). I wouldn't put this on my face, but my face can't really handle a whole lot besides water, a little soap, and coconut oil (or light application of lotion with oatmeal) without freaking out. I got the shea and cocoa butters and glycerin from mountainroseherbs.com, the coconut oil from the DeKalb Farmer's Market (but I'm about to learn how to make my own!) and the vitamin e from Wal-mart.
Once Miss Chloe got a little older, bigger, and less spastic (all babies are spastic when they're born) she fell in love with this swing. We use it to help her get to sleep when she shows signs of needing a nap and sometimes we have to make use of it at night when she's being particularly stubborn. It also comes in handy when we have things to do and need her somewhere content and stationary. It has sounds, music, a timer, and a mobile. The mobile just became useful as she didn't really pay attention to it until now, but there is a white noise sound on there that was sent from heaven, I'm sure. It makes her calm down almost instantly and usually helps put her to sleep too.
4. Infant Tub with Sling
Ok, so this isn't the specific one I own, but it's the one I originally wanted. I ended up getting a white one with an Elmo sling on it as a gift and it has been amazing. We were using a a square plastic dish cleaning basin and a big sponge for a while. There is an entirely different baby in the bathroom from the one who used to be in there getting a bath. The last time she didn't cry a single bit and the time before that she only cried when I took her out! The sling is where it's at...it's nice and comfy for baby and the warm water on her bottom and back and a wet washcloth on her tummy make it all soothing and wonderful for her.
I originally didn't even think I'd need this. I put it on my registry because it was one of the recommended items, and it has been such a great gift! This particular model comes with a cooler on the back, so you can take a couple of bottles into your room or the nursery and fill the little vials on the sides with the right amount of water and you're set for the entire night. All you have to do is grab a bottle out, pour the water in, and push the button...less than five minutes later you have baby food ready to go! I usually change her diaper while it's heating and I can do that and get the bottle in her mouth before she starts screaming again.
So, I actually kind of love how I told Chloe's Godmother about all the things I didn't want to use with Chloe, but she got them for me anyway, lol. One of those things was disposable diapers. She had a raffle at my baby shower and to get a raffle ticket you had to bring diapers or wipes. I am SO glad I have those things right now. Another one of those things was a pacifier. I did a fair amount of research on them while pregnant and there seems to be a huge dividing line about using pacifiers. I originally didn't really want to, but since actually having the baby these have been AWESOME. These in particular are made for a baby 2+ months old (shh, don't tell anyone...we have a week left until she's that old, lol) but they have some for super new babies. She happily calms down when one of these is popped in her mouth and it actually stays in there for a little while, which is great for us. The Husband has made it clear that we need more.
1. FAMILY
So I had to get a LITTLE mushy and sentimental in this post. The people in the pictures are friends as well, but they are all family to me. I don't know what I would do without each and every single one of them in our lives and I'm so very happy they are around and love our baby (almost) as much as we do. From just being there to talk to, to babysitting, to going out, to staying in and chilling out they've all been there in some way or another and they've been AWESOME. Number one lifesaver. Number ONE. ^_^
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