I did some pretty intense research on baby “stuff” while I
was pregnant. The time and effort I used to put into travel research and plans
was now fully directed towards baby gear. I wanted to make sure that the stuff
we chose for Aiden was quality, safe, and useful. There are so many things that
people think they need that end up not being used. I kept reading blogs and
articles from people talking about all of the things that they thought they “just
had to have” that ended up sitting in a corner taking up space.
I’ve decided to talk about a few of the things that Hugh and
I feel that we just couldn’t live without. I realize these things may come across
as random, but you’d be surprised at how much we use some of these things.
This is the coolest toy ever. This was a gift from a friend
that swore it was her child’s favorite toy. When Aiden was about 3 months old
we decided to pull him out of the package and get it all set up. 45 minutes
later, Hugh managed to set poor Scout free. WHY DO THEY HAVE TO PUT 5 million
zip ties on everything baby? Anyways, it’s a dog that you actually connect to
your computer via USB. The LeapFrog website allows you to customize the things
that Scout says for your child. For instance, Scout knows Aiden’s name! He
sings songs to her with her name in it and asks her all sorts of questions. We
even chose her favorite color, food and animal. Originally these things were
red, bananas, and a dog. Currently they are: purple, peanut butter and jelly,
and a sloth. Seriously. Sloth was one of the animal options. Aiden just loves
Scout. She smiles at him and kicks her legs. She talks to him in her cute
little baby babble. I know that she’ll enjoy him much more as she gets older,
but this was one awesome gift. Oh, and he’ll play up to 10 minutes of bedtime
music, which is really nice.
It’s a bit hard to see in this photo, but when it’s in her
hands she refuses to be still. This ball is great. It cost $4.85 at Target. It
was an impulse purchase as I was looking for something that she might be able
to grab. She smiles at it and reaches out to grab it when I hold it up for her.
She holds onto it and attempts to eat it. It’s fun and it helps with her motor
skill development.
I read several reviews about how great these swaddle
blankets were. I found them online and was shocked at the price. Typically, they
cost $50 for a pack of 4. Owie! However, if you purchase last year’s colors or
designs from Amazon, you can get them for about $35. I had no problem with
using the older styles. Target also sells a more affordable version. However;
they aren’t as large as the original ones. These are blankets that are made out
of cotton muslin. The more you wash them, the softer they get. They are very
light and airy, which is perfect for Texas. We used them for swaddling, covering
her carrier, play blankets, etc. They are very pretty and I love them. We also
have several other A&A items and I’ve been extremely pleased with all of
them.
A cousin of mine suggested the Britax brand to me. They are
the #1 safety rated baby carrier and car seat in the world. That sold me. These
are not cheap items. The stroller was $200 and the carrier was $180. However,
both items were less with coupons! The infant carrier is a breeze to use. The
base installed in seconds (after we read the instructions…ahem…Hugh…) and you
simply set the carrier on top. It adjusts easily for her changing size, and it
washes well. The stroller is super-light, and the carrier snaps on top of it.
It doubles as a jogging stroller when you lock the front wheel in place, which
is a very nice feature. The stroller folds up easily and has several seat
positions for when she’s in the stroller without the carrier.
I told my Mom that I didn’t want any of these, and she
bought us two anyways. I was pissed. Then, within two days of having Aiden home
Hugh was at the store to buy more. She was right. You need them, I promise. Use
them on the changing pad and in the crib at night. It helps with spit up and
leaky diapers.
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