My Favorite Things

With the exciting news of Tasanee's pregnancy and several others expecting babies in the near future, I've been thinking a lot about the things that have actually been useful since Zaiden came home from the hospital and things that we've recently discovered that have been lifesavers. Granted, all kids are different and have different preferences, but I remember looking for lists of things that would helpful to have at home for me or for the baby and not finding anything particularly useful. So, for all the new moms out there and new moms-to-be, here is my current list of essentials for the first four months:

Month 1:
For Mom
1. pads (Always Infinity were my favorite)
2. Tucks Pads - buy the actual pads and not the witch hazel separately, you really won't have time to make your own
3. Motrin - I had a super easy recovery, but I still needed to take Motrin once a day. Buy 200 mg capsules and take 3 at a time - it's the same prescription they'll give you when they discharge you from the hospital and you can skip the line at the pharmacy
4. Protein bars/granola bars - I lived off of these when Eric went back to work and I was home by myself
5. Yoga pants/cute track suits and tanks/shirts - anything that is comfy but that also allows you to feel like you look halfway decent
6.Good nursing bras and nursing tanks- Bravado are my favorite. The ones from Target suck (everyone said they were good, but they provide ZERO support and just made me feel frumpy). Get fitted toward the end of your pregnancy. Just buy a few then figure out what works and buy more - you'll do laundry every other day anyway, so you'll always have bras to wear
7. The usual breastfeeding supplies - nursing pads, lanolin, etc
8. If you're breastfeeding, learn how to nurse lying down. It will make your life MUCH easier and it means you will get sleep (I can honestly say I've only had 2 nights so far that I didn't wake up rested - 1 was his 2nd day alive in the hospital and 1 was a night 3 weeks ago where he just wanted to play)
9. Sign up for Amazon Mom - it's awesome to always have what you need when you need it without leaving the house.
For Baby:
1. A place to sleep - could be a pack n play, a bassinet, or your bed. I was sure we wouldn't co-sleep until the 2nd day when I realized it was waaay easier for all of us
2. Diapers - buy at least one small pack of preemie diapers. Zaiden was 7lbs when he was born and he peed through newborn diapers for 2 - 3 weeks before they fit him properly
3. Newborn clothes - make sure you have some on hand. Get enough for one full week of 2 changes a day, then get more if you need them after a couple weeks.
4. Some sort of bathtub for after the umbilical cord falls off - they'll give you a plastic bathtub at the hospital, but Zaiden felt much more secure in the sling thing of his bathtub and actually enjoyed bath time after that. The hospital will also give you a disposable washcloths and soap so you don't even need that!
5. Carseat - DUH
6. Stroller - if it's going to be nice outside when your baby is born, this is great to have so you can actually get out of the house!
7. Wrap/Carrier - it's a godsend when you need to go to the bathroom (I promise you that at some point, you will pee holding your baby), do something around the house, etc.
8. A blanket/towel/mat for tummy time - doesn't have to be fancy. They really don't start playing with toys until closer to 3 months
9. Receiving blankets - the special swaddling stuff was more pain that it was worth for us, especially since we both got the hang of swaddling very quickly. Get at least 5 good quality ones - you can use them for lots of things. I liked Carters ones - the Gerber ones were really small (and in general, Gerber clothes run small - 0-3 fits a newborn!) I would advise buying maybe 1 specialty swaddler (like a Halo or Miracle Blanket) and seeing if you like it. If you do, order some from Amazon Mom or using all those Babies R Us gift cards you're sure to get. It's easier to order more, than to return stuff.
10. First Aid/Grooming kit - nail clippers, scissors, thermometer, etc. The American Red Cross and Johnson and Johnson make an infant one that is good and has all the basics. Make sure you get a nasal saline solution of some sort - it really helps when you need to get boogies out of their nose and if/when they get congested

Month 2:
For Mom:
1. Clothes - yes, you are in between sizes and yes you will likely feel like you did first tri about your  body (as in you will just feel fat regardless of what anyone tells you). It's OK to feel that way, but don't exacerbate the problem by torturing yourself with your pre-baby clothes. I still can't fit into most of my pre-baby tops b/c my chest is just too big. Not sure if it'll ever go down again, but I wish I had bought more cute tops sooner. You're worth it, you'll be happier, and so will everyone else.
2. Extra pump parts - if you're going back to work, I promise these are worth the investment. I bought 3 extra membranes/connectors and the Medela wipes to wipe down my flanges after each use. Sooo much easier and faster than washing everything by hand at work. You can also put your used pump parts in the fridge between sessions if you don't want to wash them each time.

For Baby:
1. Swing/Bouncer - you'll know by now if you baby will like one or both of these things, so if you didn't get it from your registry, now would be the time to buy it, if your baby likes these things!
2. Bumbo - I wish we had bought one. They love to sit up at this age and this is a great way for them to do that. Plus, it lets you do things while they watch you (e.g. get ready, cook, etc). If you don't have a bumbo or don't want one, I would highly recommend a highchair as an alternate. We got ours out around this time and it has been fantastic (we have the Graco Blossom and it comes with an infant insert) - Z loves sitting there and watching/playing while we eat/cook/etc.
3. Bottles - if you are returning to work and breastfeeding, definitely make sure you have a couple bottles to try out. We bought 1 each of a couple different kinds to see what worked best, and then bought a ton of the bottles Z preferred as well as a ton of bottles that work with my pump. We still run the dishwasher every night, but I don't have to wash any pump parts during the day which is a huge time saver.
4 . Fisher Price SeaHorse - it is amazing! Baby loves the ambient light and we loved that the music that came out didn't sound so computerized like it did on the swing/bouncer and the pack n play.

Month 3:
For Mom:
1. 20-30 minutes each day for yourself - I know it's really really really hard, but try to find a little time each day for yourself. This might mean a walk or a long shower or time at the gym or locking yourself in a room alone. Whatever it is, try and find the time for you. You are giving so much of yourself and you really need a little bit of time to feel human again. I promise it is worth it and again it will help you feel like yourself again:)

For Baby:
1. Playmat - If you haven't already, get one! Now is the time that they actually start getting into it more (when I say month three, this is really when they are 2 months old, so month one is 0-1 month, month 2 is 1-2 months, etc).
2. Toys - get a few if you want. It's not essential, but it is amazing how fast they go from not playing with toys to playing with them.  We have a fun ball with with lots of holes for him to grab on to.

Month 4:
For Baby:
1. Exersaucer or Jumperoo - Our baby loved to stand up from an early age, so if your baby is like ours, this will be so much fun for him/her. We got the Jumperoo and our little guy loved it! He was getting bored of his mat, so this was a fun new thing to add into the mix
2. Sock Monkey - it's great because they can grab the various limbs to play
3. Cloth books and board books - again, these are nice because they can grab them. Z liked to help me turn pages when I read these books to him at this age

Month 5:
For Mom and Dad:
1. Babyproofing stuff: Z is at the point where he's definitely close to crawling. We probably still have some time, but he's rolling over a bunch and I figure it's best to just do it while he's still not completely mobile (because if it happens like everything else, it will literally be something that happens overnight). This is actually on our list of things to do.
For Baby:
1. Teething toys - Z started teething a little before he was 4 months old (month 4), and we were able to keep his mouth happy with cloth books and froze washcloths for awhile. However, shortly after he turned 4 months, that was definitely not enough and he got really frustrated with traditional teethers because he couldn't get them in his mouth fully (i'm talking about the circular rings and such that can go into the fridge/freezer). My recommendations for teethers are things that are long or rectangularish. Sophie the Giraffe was the best thing we have bought - no lie and it is totally worth the $17 we spent on it. We also got an orange ball the has rectangular looking things coming off of it that he likes to chew on. (it was maybe $3 or $4 on amazon).
2. Bigger activity mat - Z is definitely bigger/taller than the average kid, so this might be a baby specific thing, but we're definitely at the point where we need a bigger activity mat to give him the space he needs to roll around

So that's my list to date. It's not necessarily comprehensive and it's really a list of what worked best for us. Each family and each kid is different, so what works for us might not work for you. However, I know that when I was expecting, looking at what other people found useful was helpful for me, so I'm hoping this will be helpful for someone else:)

Moms that follow this blog, share your favorite must-haves for each month in the comments below (and if you have favorite must haves as the kids get older, I would LOVE to hear them)

Such a great week!

This week has been absolutely fantastic! I could not have imagined the transition from Eric being at home to Eric being at work and Zaiden being with Nanima/Khati Masi going any smoother. It has been phenomenal for all of us and it feels like we're settling into a great routine. I have absolutely LOVED having Tuesdays and Thursdays with Zaiden - it seems like those days just fly and we have such a good time together. As busy as I am, I feel like I have so much more patience with him and with everything in general. We had a great time during our days together this week - did lots of reading, explored Costco and the supermarket, went on walks, and sang some songs. Eric and I recently bought a collection of kiddie music and started putting in on and singing along with it to Zaiden. So far his favorite tunes have been Skip to My Lou (because I held him and skipped - talk about a good workout!) and Michael Finnigan. It brings back some great memories singing with him...it reminds me a lot of playing with Waheed when he was a baby. Zaiden is also becoming quite the snugglebug, especially at night! It used to be that I would have to slyly slip my nipple away from his mouth once he fell asleep, but now I have to slyly slip away myself! He's much less interested in eating when he wakes up at night and is much more interested in cuddling/making sure I'm around. I am having some luck with getting him back to sleep without a boob, but it only lasts about 10 minutes an then I nurse him quickly and he's out like a light. I think a lot of that has to do with teething though, but we better get used to it since he'll be cutting teeth for the next couple of years!

In other news, it's been a great week for me and Eric as a couple as well. Even though we've both been tired, I feel like we've had time each night to connect and that makes SUCH a difference. Plus, Eric is sooo much more relaxed/not stressed/not cranky about going back to school this year and I think a lot of that has to do with Zaiden. I think I'm also getting a case of baby fever, which is crazy since Zaiden is only 4 months old, but I can't help it! He's such a good baby and I had such an amazing pregnancy experience and I have SO much energy right now. Don't worry though - we're not planning on adding any new Skrzypeks to the family just yet:) We are, though, getting very excited about another baby in the family...Baby Walsh is due to make his/her debut in March and we couldn't be happier! Tasanee is like a big sister to me and we are both so excited for her and Adam to become parents. Plus, we are so excited that Baby Walsh and Zaiden will be so close in age - there is bound to be a lifelong friendship there:)

As awesome as this week has been, the long weekend promises to be even better. Mama Skrzypek is coming to town this afternoon and we have lots of fun planned! We're making a special dinner tonight, a special breakfast tomorrow, visiting my parents' for lunch, celebrating at a housewarming party, shopping at the outlets, and relaxing on the water all in one weekend! We're also looking forward to seeing friends and family on Monday and I'm hoping with all the extra hands that will be around this weekend, I'll get a chance to do some uninterrupted studying as well:)