Baby Gear (at 8 weeks)

Life has gotten MUCH easier as we get into the swing of life. I did a post on our essential baby items at 3 weeks and it's time to add a few more things to the list.

1. Bibs- We have been blessed with a spitty baby. You know, the word "spitty" makes it sound cute and like it is just a small amount. It is neither. This kid practically pukes up every bottle. (Don't worry...we have talked to the pediatrician about this. Because he is gaining weight and not upset or in pain, they aren't concerned and don't think it is reflux.) Ethan practically lives in bibs and I really like this colorful set. I remember thinking that 10 bibs might be too much, but now I am thinking about getting another set.  (EDITED TO ADD: These bibs were not the best.  The velcro wore out within months and we had to throw them all away.  Get bibs that have the snap closure vs. velcro.  I liked the Carter sets at Target.)

2. Burp Cloths- Unfortunately, the cutesie burp cloths won't do. We need the real deal, Gerber cloth diapers. We fly through these things and always have one or two on hand. I struggled with a way to get them clean and white again but found a hot wash with detergent, Oxiclean, and bleach with an extra rinse does the job.  (EDITED TO ADD: Make sure to buy the PREMIUM diapers.  There are 3 kinds/textures and these are definitely the most quality and worth the more expensive price.  I use the other ones as cleaning cloths now.)

Baby Einstein Activity Mat- Ethan loves this thing. We pulled it our around 6 weeks and it was an immediate hit. We started with the mirror on top and he did a great job punching the animals. Then, I put the sun that lights up and plays music and it was over. Amazing! This kid loves music and is quite the dancer. He kicks his feet like a crazy man and cracks us up along the way. I could watch it all day!

Homemade Moby Wrap- Ethan loves to be worn and I love my homemade Moby wrap. When he is fussy and there is nothing else that can calm him, I'll slip on the wrap and within 2 minutes, he's calm or sleeping. It really is amazing and allows you to get work done around the house (Mike even wears him while working on pictures on the computer). If you want to make a Moby of your own, just go to the fabric store, buy 15 feet of jersey fabric, and cut it in half down the middle (you will have 2 wraps). There are tons on tutorials on how to wrap the fabric on the Moby website and Youtube.

Baby Bjorn- I use the Moby around the house but we feel more comfortable using the Bjorn while out on walks, at the dogpark, or even Target. Again, Ethan really likes being held close and he does well in the Baby Bjorn.  (EDITED TO ADD:  We didn't end up using the Bjorn that much.  We used the Moby inside because it was so hot outside.  He took a few walks with this but we usually just used the stroller outside.  In the stores, we just put the baby carrier into the cart.)

Rock & Play- I know this product was mentioned in my first baby gear post, but I just needed to talk about it again to get you to understand the importance of this item. The Rock & Play plus the Miracle Blanket have been the perfect combo for Ethan. I didn't register for the item (big mistake) but we will buy one for baby #2 (we are borrowing from a friend and will get one of our own when we move and have more room). I get scared thinking about how we will transition the little man out but until then...we are enjoying our sleep. (Did I mention that Ethan slept from 10 pm-5 am the other night?)  (EDITED TO ADD: This was the #1 best baby product and we ended up buying our own.  Best best best best best!)

That is all for now! I'm sure that in another 4-5 weeks, we will have a lot more favorite items, as Ethan is becoming more and more social, responsive, and playful.