Must-haves for Gracen

It seems like every time I have sat down to write a post in the last week Gracen has had other plans for my "time." Baby girl thinks her mama's arms are for holding her 24 hours a day. If only I was kidding...

She's the most laid back baby ever, as long as you are doing exactly what she wants! Besides my arms, there are a few Gracen approved must-haves that help us get through our day :)

1. Fisher-Price Little Lamb Swing

I am lucky to get an hour a day where Gracen will sleep without being held. Some days it's longer and on those days I owe it to the swing. She tolerates the swing (if she's in the mood) but demands it be on the fastest setting and prefers for the jungle sounds to play the whole time. If she's in a particularly good mood I can buckle her in while I do the dishes, run the vacuum, pump, etc. If she falls asleep, that's an added bonus :)

2. Fisher-Price Rock n' Play Sleeper

This has been next to my bed since day one. Sometimes she will sleep in it for several hours at night and sometimes she won't. When she does sleep in it she seems to sleep peacefully. It is so easy to take from room to room and when we travel we take this along instead of the pack n' play. I love it.

3. Boppy Travel Swing

We keep this swing upstairs in our bathroom most of the time. Gracen is usually content to swing while I take a bath or shower in the mornings. It is super light weight and easy to carry from room to room.

4. Medela Breastpump On-the-Go Tote

Now that Gracen is a bottle lover my pump has become my new BFF. It makes pumping so easy. I can get a bottle of milk in less than five minutes. Such a must-have for me!

5. Summer Infant Mother's Touch Baby Bather

We have this seat in pink and it is the best bath seat for bathing two kids together! The seat is mesh and doesn't take up a lot of space so Leighton has plenty of room to play and Gracen can lounge and watch :) With Leighton I had the large plastic tub. I used it with Gracen too at first but found it took up so much room and there was no way to bathe the girls at the same time. I found this seat and made the switch and am so happy! It folds up and can fit under the sink when we have company over (since the girls bathroom doubles as a guest bath) and makes bathing two kids so easy!

6. Mustela Newborn Foam Shampoo

Gracen had a horrible rash when she was four weeks old (still not exactly sure what it was from). Our pediatrician recommended we use a gentle soap and I had heard great things about Mustela so I went and bought some. Oh my gosh, I will never use another shampoo on my baby ever again. Her skin is so soft and clear and the stuff smells amazing. Love this so much!

7. Eucerin Original Moisturizer

I started using this lotion when Leighton was a baby and have never used anything else on either girl. It is thick (but not too thick) and goes on easily. It keeps their sensitive skin so soft and smooth. I love that it is scent free and good for dry skin. Babies are supposed to be extra smooth and this lotion does the trick.

8. Boon Grass Countertop Drying Rack

When I started using bottles I quickly realized I was going to need a bottle drying rack. Even 1-2 bottles a day adds up quick! This rack is flat and takes up little counter space (it fits perfectly beside my sink). I can easily fit 10 bottles on it plus both of my breast pumps and some nipples. Plus it's cute :)

9. Baby Jogger City Mini Double Stroller

Gracen isn't a huge fan of strollers so I haven't gotten a lot of use out of this yet. But, what use I have gotten, I have loved! This stroller is SO easy to push even with both girls inside and is perfect for morning walks around the neighborhood (hills and all). I haven't tested it out at the mall yet and I'm not sure how it will do in the smaller stores because it is side by side but it is still a great find and is by far the smoothest stroller I have ever pushed.

10. Microfleece Sleep Bags

I am super paranoid about blankets and my baby. Gracen grew out of the swaddle phase quickly and she tends to be on the hot side so I struggled with what to put her in at bedtime. These sleep sacks are wonderful. I put her in a onesie underneath and the sack provides her with just the right amount of warmth. She never wakes up sweaty (which she did often when swaddled) and I don't have to worry about a blanket creeping up over her face. If she seems to be cold during the cooler months I am planning to use a light sleeper underneath instead of a onesie. They're perfect for this paranoid mama.

So, that's my list of must-haves this time around. I also have hot items like the boppy bouncer, nap nanny, Moby wrap, Bumbo and pack n' play but don't feel like any of them are "must-haves" for me. I have found that each of them have been useful at one point or another but I don't need them to function. We also just ordered a new video monitor as we gear up for operation.sleep.in.your.own.room.by.2012. I'm sure once all that is settled the monitor will be a must-have too!

I love baby items and there are so many things out right now, it's hard to find what your baby will like best. It's funny how every baby knows what they like and what they don't (crib=bed of nails). I know both my girls were very particular about what they considered a "must-have" :)