Our Favorites // Feeding

I have shared some of these items on our previous must have lists, but I wanted to do a full roundup of our favorite feeding items. We have retired most of these items since we have moved out of the baby stage, but they will still go down as some of our favorites.

Thankfully we didn’t have to do a lot of shopping around for bottles since both of the kids took to Tommee Tippie bottles immediately. They were very easy to clean and there were no issues with the kids going from breast to bottle and vice versa. The Tommee Tippie sippy cups were good, however, not as easy to clean. They did the job for Kenley, but for Crosby, I was introduced to the Nuby No-Spill Sprout sippy cups and they were by far the best. They were easy to clean, didn’t leak, and Crosby really liked them. Once the kids transitioned to straw cups, we found the Thermos Foogo insulated straw cups and then the slightly larger Thermos Funtainer straw bottles. I cannot stand when cups sweat, so these have been my favorite so far. Since they are both insulated, they keep the water and ice cold for much longer. Another bonus is that they don’t leak! I foresee us using the Thermos brand for a while.

When Kenley was born, there was only the Boon Grass drying rack which was perfect. Later, the larger Boon Lawn came out and once we added another child, we added another drying rack. I love the modern, nontraditional look to these drying racks. They are cute, as well as functional. There are also cute accessories such as the Boon Twig that are great for hanging pacifiers and bottle nipples to dry. We now only use the lawn and it is great for both the kids’ cups, as well as wine glasses. The only bottle brush we’ve used is the OXO Tot Bottle Brush and it is great. Again, still useful for cups and wine glasses even though we haven’t used baby bottles in quite a while.

Feeding Favorites

We registered for the Fisher-Price Spacesaver High Chair due to the lack of space in our kitchen area of our first house. The high chair sat directly on one of our chairs at the kitchen table and it did just that, saved space. We had the option to slide the chair around the kitchen as needed, but most of the time we all sat at the kitchen table for meals. It worked out perfectly. You can also buy different covers, so it it was nice to have a back up when one was in the wash. Once the kids grew out of the high chair, they moved into the OXO Tot Perch booster seat. Both of the kids have their own now and I love them because they aren’t bulky and they are easy to move.

When we first started solid food, the Munckin soft-tip spoons were by far the best. They are cheap, soft, and easy to clean. For plates, we loved using the OXO Tot Plate and Divided Plate. These are really good quality and the rubber bottoms were great for the younger years. We have since transitioned into the Re-play Recycled set, including the flat plates, divided plates, bowls, sippy cups, tumblers, utensils, and snack stacks. I could go on and on about how much we love this brand. They are very durable and there are so many fun colors. This is the only brand we use for meal time.

At school and on the go, there are a few items that we couldn’t live without. The OXO Tot large and small bowls have been in the rotation for years. They are great for sending snacks to school, such as fruit. They are also very durable as we’ve had our current set for well over three years now. Another item that we didn’t learn about until Crosby was born was the Dr. Brown’s Snack-A-Pillar cups. These were so useful when we were sending smaller snacks to school in the infant room because we could just stack them all together. We still use them, but they are pretty small now that the kids are bigger. Finally, we use the Bentgo lunch boxes for the kids. They are perfect for packing bento style lunches with a lot of variety. We use it every single day and they do not leak! They are well worth the money if you pack lunches regularly.

There you have it! Our feeding time favorites!

*this post contains affiliate links.

Our Favorites // Three Months

I want to share some of the items that we’ve been loving and using since Crosby has arrived.
Here are our favorites for the first three months.

Baby 411

This book is seriously amazing! We received it as a gift with Kenley and have purchased it for a good number of our friends since then.
I was surprised how much we had forgotten in the last two years, so having this around has been so helpful.
We’ve both gone back and read up on several topics since Crosby has been here. I guarantee it won’t be the last time either.

Motorola Wireless Video Baby Monitor

This was another one of our stellar Craigslist finds back when Kenley was about six or seven months old.
It was brand new and too good of deal to pass up. I’ll be the first to admit this is a total luxury item, but we have absolutely loved it ever since we got it.
Ours came with two cameras, so we didn’t have to worry about getting another monitor when Crosby arrived.
We have it set on scan so it goes from room to room throughout the night.
At this point, I’m not sure how we ever lived without it. (Most of the time) it’s fun watching what they are doing in there!

Aden By aden + anais Muslin Swaddle Blankets

I know I have mentioned before how much I love these blankets, but I seriously love them.
Once we were done using them as swaddle blankets, we started using them for everything else.
We use them in the car seat, in the stroller, for shade, as a nursing cover up, as a burp cloth, you name it.
Kenley still uses hers at school to cover up during nap time.

Baby Einstein Take Along Tunes

Crosby loves this thing. It’s the only way we keep him distracted during tummy time.
He has no idea how hard he’s working when he’s staring at the flashing lights & listening to the jams.
It will be fun when he learns to hit the button himself.

Fisher-Price Rock ‘n Play

We love the rock ‘n play. I’ll say it again how much I wish we had this with Kenley.
Even though Crosby isn’t sleeping in it anymore, we still use it everyday.
It moves from room to room with us and he mostly sits in it while we’re cooking and eating dinner.
We also have taken it to Grammy’s house for him to sleep in, which was much better than taking the pack ‘n play.

Boppy Pillow, etc.

I am a huge fan of the Boppy pillow. I loved having it with Kenley and used it every single day for almost a year. I ended up getting another one secondhand so I could keep one in our bedroom for the time I was on maternity leave… you may call this lazy, but it worked for me. I know the Boppy is really hit or miss. If you’re in the market, I know a lot of mommies who love the Breast Friend pillows, so take a look at those too.
While we’re on the subject, here are some other items that have made my life a little easier the first three months:
Bamboobies
Lanolin Cream
Medela Quick Clean Wipes
Medela Pump & Save Bags – I haven’t had good luck with the Lansinoh brand, but I’m planning to try the Target brand.

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These are just a few of the many items out there that have made the first three months a little bit easier.
What are your favorite baby items?

Our Must Have List Part III

Here is Part I and Part II of our list.

Last I left off we had made it through the first seven months.

Fisher-Price Space Saver High Chair

We use our high chair religiously, especially now that Kenley is eating solids on a regular schedule.
Even before solids, the high chair was a great place to let her sit and play.
I honestly wish I would have gotten it out sooner, so we could have put her in it when she was younger.
We especially love this particular high chair because it sits directly on a chair at our kitchen table.
Our eating area isn’t huge, so I didn’t want a bulky high chair taking up a ton of space.
When we have friends over, we remove it so we get the chair back, but it really does save space!

Britax Boulevard Convertible Car Seat

Kenley has outgrown her infant car seat, which is both happy and sad.
Happy because she was getting too heavy to lug around in that thing anyway and
sad because that means she’s not a little tiny baby anymore!
A friend recommended Britax to us when we were registering and we received the Marathon
before Kenley was born, so we used the convertible car seat as our second car seat,
and opted against buying a second base for the Chicco.
When it was time to buy another car seat, I definitely wanted another Britax.
I found last year’s model of the Boulevard still available for at a cheaper price, so I jumped on it.

Baby Bullet

This could go for any food processing device, really. We have been making Kenley’s food at home,
and this little guy has helped out in that process immensely.
We have some additional storage containers for the freezer and fridge, like the OXO Tot and Munchkin brands,
but we also use ice cube trays for freezing foods and toss them into a freezer bag.
This works especially well when we make a ton of food at a time.

Fisher-Price Whale of a Tub

This tub could have definitely made the last two lists, but it just missed the cut.
Sorry whale.
But honestly, we love this thing and Kenley loves it too.
We have used it since she was able to take a regular bath and are still using it.
The infant “baby stopper” piece comes out so she can sit in the tub and splash away.
Bath time is definitely one of our favorite times.

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Items from previous lists that we still use regularly:

Boppy Pillow
Medela Pump in Style
aden + anais Muslin Swaddle Blankets
Sophie the Giraffe
Graco Sweet Slumber Sound Machine and the Cloud b Gentle Giraffe

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There you have it, probably the last installment of our must-have list.
What must-haves do you use that we left off?

Our Must Have List Part II

Here is our first must have list, in case you missed it.
Some items we still use everyday, like the car seat (obvi), breast pump, and Boppy,
and there are some things that we’ve grown out of  like the swing and the play mat,
but there are other new items that we’ve grown into that we love, so we want to share.
This list is probably more for months three to seven.

Fisher-Price Jumperoo

This was a hand-me-down that we are so thankful to have gotten!
I feel like it was just yesterday that we had to put my sports law book under her feet so she could reach the ground.
Now she can reach the floor perfectly and loves to jump around in it.
It plays music and lights up with is fun for her.
It’s also great because she can stay in one place and we know she can’t go far.

ERGObaby Original Baby Carrier

I love the Ergo, but we didn’t get it/start using it until she was a little older and weighed more.
We also have a Moby Wrap that was also a hand-me-down and it worked great when I was home with her
during the day and when she was a newborn and didn’t weigh as much.
The Ergo is so easy to put on and is very comfortable.
I’ve worn it on the front, as well as on the hip and would say that I prefer the front better right now.
We may still use the Moby later on, but the Ergo is much more handy to just put on and go.
I also think it’s a little more manly than the Moby wrap, so Greg has no problem wearing it around.
As silly as it sounds, I also love having the zip pocket on the front for my cell phone. It’s the small things.

Vulli Sophie the Giraffe Teether

We love Sophie, but this also goes for any other teething toy as well.
From about four months on, everything has gone into Kenley’s mouth, so having these toys on hand has been great.
We are now starting to utilize the teethers that can be put in the freezer (for small periods of time only)
as well as just a plain damp washcloth that she can chew on.
Anything that can help with the teething, chewing, drooling phase is a must!

Graco Sweet Slumber Sound Machine

Growing up, I didn’t sleep with any kind of noise maker. Just the silence.
Probably because my dad is the lightest sleeper you’ve ever met!
Freshman year of college, however, Lisa and I slept with the TV on every night. EPSN. Every night.
I quickly grew accustomed to sleeping with either the TV or the fan on at night,
but let’s be serious, I can sleep anytime, anywhere, so it’s not a must for me.
From the day we brought Kenley home, she has slept with the sound machine.
We usually keep it on the rain forest or the white noise setting.
I like to think it helps her sleep, but it also allows us to be as loud as we want
and not have to worry about waking her up, especially when we have friends over.
We also have the Cloud b Gentle Giraffe that we can strap to her car seat or strollers if she needs to sleep.

Burp Cloths

I swear, we have at least 12 burp cloths and I still think I could use more.
It seems like we are going through these like crazy, whether it’s spit up or drool,
we also have them within an arms reach.
I will say that with the Carter’s brand, the cute fabrics fade so fast when you’re washing them so often,
they still do their job, but just don’t look as cute.
I’ve actually started making some for friends with leftover fabric and the plain Gerber burp cloths.
In my opinion, it’s the perfect gift because I know they will get used!
Bottom line, you can never have too many of these bad boys.

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What other goods do you mommies use that I’m missing?

Our Must Have List

Baby gear.
I spent a ton of time researching, reading, and looking online for all the must haves for moms.
I don’t even want to think about the amount of time spent just searching for strollers.
So silly, but I was obsessed and determined to find the perfect combo of out and about and jogging strollers.

Well, here is our list of  mommy must haves up until this point. Basically from birth to around three months.
I’m sure our must haves will change as Kenley gets older
as we’re already starting to retire some items and move on to new ones.

In no particular order.

Chicco Cortina KeyFit 30 Travel System, Midori

One of my first purchases was the BOB jogging stroller I found on Craigslist, which is why I became obsessed
with finding the perfect daytime stroller. Like I said, I have no idea why I searched for so long
because these travel system strollers are probably the most purchased strollers out there. I see them everywhere!
The great thing about the car seat is you can just pop it out and take it anywhere when there is a sleeping baby.
The stroller folds up so easily and it’s pretty lightweight so getting it in and out of the car is a breeze.
I have a feeling that we won’t be using the carrier function of the car seat much longer
because Kenley is already starting to get heavy and lugging that thing around doesn’t sound like fun.
** Update: We quickly realized how bulky the Chicco stroller is by itself.
Once we had graduated 
from the infant car seat, the stroller got old very quickly.
I recently sold the stroller portion of the travel system in a consignment sale. **

Boppy Pillow with Slipcover

I seriously could not live without this thing. It helps so much with feeding her.
So much so that the first time we were out and I actually had to hold her to feed,
my arm got extremely tired and we ended up buying an inflatable one in a different brand
so we could take it when we travel overnight. Needless to stay, I love it.
It’s also great because Kenley sits in it and also can do tummy time on it.

Fisher-Price Cradle ‘N Swing

We don’t have this exact one, ours is nature-esque and has bees instead of lambs,
but we scored it for 20 bucks at a yard sale four days before Kenley was born!
I had heard and read that you don’t need a bouncy seat and a swing, so we went with the seat,
but thank goodness we got the swing. Kenley lived in this thing for the first three months.
She would sleep for hours in it if we would let her… which we did most days.
She hasn’t been in it much since we started napping in the crib
and I think we will start using the bouncy seat more now, but I’m so glad we had this!

Infantino Twist and Fold Activity Gym

Kenley loves her play mat. Yes, we got the boy version, but I think it’s adorable.
The girl version was a little too pink for my liking.
She plays on this thing majority of the time she’s awake. She bats and pulls at the toys and just kicks around.
This is wonderful right now because we can get things done around the house
while she is playing on this. When she starts to become more mobile, I don’t see that being the case.
We did fold this up and take it with us on a road trip, which was so convenient.

.Medela Pump in Style Advanced Breast Pump

My cousin Abbi told me from the very beginning not to go the cheap route on your breast pump
or you would hate it and not want to ever pump. Well, I believe her.
This thing was not cheap (and I even got it on sale plus used a coupon!), but it is worth every penny.
I especially like how it’s not obvious that I’m carrying my pump to and from work every day.
If you are planning to pump, I definitely recommend this one!
Also, if you like to multitask, I highly recommend getting the Easy Expression Bustier.
I didn’t have it for the first month or so because I refused to spend $35 on it,
but now that I have it, I don’t know how I ever lived without it, especially at work!

Aden By aden + anais Muslin Swaddle Blanket 4 Pack

We were really big on swaddling Kenley. She didn’t hate it and we actually just stopped a few weeks ago.
When she was really little, we liked using these blankets because they are huge, light, and airy.
Later on, we moved to the Miracle Blanket and ultimately the Halo Sleep Sacks for swaddling,
but we use the aden + anais blankets all the time! Especially since it’s so hot here, they are perfect.

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What are some of your must have items? I’m anxious to hear what other mommies can’t live without!