16 Baby Products You Can't Live Without

The baby necessities below made life a little easier after Sophie's arrival 3 years ago, and we plan to use them all again with the new baby. Many of these things I didn't know about before becoming a mom, so I thought I would share this helpful list with you in case you need some ideas for your baby registry. You can click on any of the links below to purchase these products directly from Amazon.

Samsung Wireless Video Baby Monitor 
A baby monitor will give you the peace of mind to know that your baby is safe even when you can't be in the same room. This Samsung model was our choice, with a 3.5" high quality color LCD display, and night vision which allows for low light viewing up to 15ft.

Beco Gemini Baby Carrier
I highly recommend the Beco Gemini. It's definitely the most comfortable baby carrier on the market! It's waist strap design and the ability to cross the straps in the back take all the pressure off your shoulders. It offers a front, back or hip carrying position for the baby, and adjusts to fit newborns without a separate infant insert. Plus, it's invaluable for being able to walk around hands-free.

  
Fisher-Price Rock n' Play Sleeper
Do you have a baby that always wants to be held and wakes up the second you put them down in the crib? The nice deep pocket Rock N Play Sleeper is perfect for cradling your baby. It was a lifesaver for us!

aden + anais Muslin Swaddle Blanket  

We must've received 30 different blankets when Sophie was born but the muslin ones are best for swaddling and snuggling. They are so breathable and lightweight, and you'll continue to get use out of them even when the baby is too old to be swaddled. Sophie still sleeps with one of hers at 3 years old. 

 

aden + anais Muslin Zip-Up Sleeping Bag 
A zip-up blanket eliminates the danger of the blanket covering the baby's head while sleeping. Pick up a couple lightweight ones of muslin or cotton for summer and fleece ones for winter. 

 

Boppy Pillow
This is a must-have for nursing mothers. It helps support the baby in the correct position, and can also be used to prop the baby up for sitting or tummy time. 

Sensible Lines Milk Trays 
These trays are better for freezing breast milk than bags because you can freeze milk in 1 oz. sticks which defrost easily. Using these trays allows you to take out only what you need rather than defrosting a whole bag which could waste milk if you only need a couple ounces. 

Fresh Baby So Easy Baby Food Trays
I made most of Sophie's baby food. These trays are perfect for freezing baby food in 1 ounce servings.

 Itzbeen Pocket Nanny Baby Care Timer  

This handy timer has 4 buttons which track how long it's been since the baby has been fed, changed, slept, and a "free" button you can use to track anything you wish. There is also a switch on the button so you can remember if the baby nursed from the left or right side at the last feeding. Trust me, when you are sleep deprived and juggling a zillion different things, this timer will help keep you on track! I have it packed in my hospital bag ready to go!

Boppy Changing Pad Liners
Just place on of these on the changing table, and if the baby has an accident (which newborns so often do) simply remove the liner and replace it with another so you don't have to remove and wash the whole changing pad cover. We bought 3 packs of these and it was well worth it.

Taggies Shopping Cart Cover  
Get one of these when your baby is old enough to sit up so that they are fully protected from shopping cart germs.

Udder Covers Breast Feeding Nursing Cover  
Udder Covers has many prints / styles to choose from.  The top has boning which allows you to get a clear look at baby while still covering up for privacy.

BabyGanics Hiney Helper Diaper Cream
There's lot of different diaper creams out there but this one is the best!

Medela Quick Clean Micro Steam Bags

These bags are great for cleaning bottles and breast pump parts. Simply add water, place the parts in the bag and microwave to kill germs! I used them once a week. 

Medela Tender Care Lanolin Cream  
If you are nursing, this is the best lanolin on the market. Don't bother buying anything else!

 
BabyGanics Tub Time Extra Gentle Bubble Bath and Body Wash 
This body wash is made from natural products and won't dry baby's skin. It can be used as a body wash, shampoo and bubble bath. 

If interested in purchasing any of these items it would be most appreciated if you could click on my affiliate links above or on the gadget below to purchase directly from Amazon.

Well friends, this is my last post before the baby's arrival. I will be induced early tomorrow morning! I know my posting will probably be sporadic over the next couple months as I focus on family, but I do have several projects in the works and a few draft posts saved so you will be hearing from me periodically. Please pray for a smooth delivery and healthy baby!

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Happy 11th Anniversary to my Handy Hubby!

I'm not the only creative one around here. In honor of our 11th anniversary I thought I would highlight some of the wonderful projects my handy husband Robbie has completed around our home.

We always have a beautifully landscaped yard. 

He built this shed from scratch... with no blueprint and only a little help from friends! It even has a deck and electricity. No doubt it's built better than our own house!

The list of house projects are endless.

He installed a Jacuzzi tub for my Valentine's Day present many years ago. It required rerouting the water line...no problem for Robbie. He also did all the tiling on the floor and around the tub.

He's added crown molding and window frames, and upgraded the baseboards and door frames throughout our home.  

Including adding crown molding to the kitchen cabinets.   

Every single piece of molding that was in this house when we moved in has been ripped out and replaced!

Here is our beautiful kitchen tile backsplash that he wipped up on a Saturday afternoon. 

He installed these stainless steel hanging pendant lights over the bar in our kitchen, where no lights existed before.

And added this decorative moulding under the bar:

How about these "built in" bookshelves in our office? These are inexpensive pressed board bookshelves that he painted white and embellished with molding.

He refinished the oak banister on our stairs to white and added wrought iron spindles.

And also put up wainscoting on both sides of the stair well.

He tiled around our fireplace with slate.

When we were dating, he painted this brick with a picture of my high school that had been recently torn down.

At Christmas he is the master decorator. Here are just a few of his creations.

 
Our neighborhood used to give away a Best Dressed Holiday Home award which Robbie won 4 years in a row. They eventually stopped doing it, I suspect because no one can compete with him!

And speaking of decorating, take a look at what he does at Halloween. (Everything is handmade!)

Did I mention that he can also fix anything and is an amazing cook?!?!?!

His next project is refinishing this antique china cabinet that he inherited from his grandparents. Of course with our baby due any day now, I don't know how soon this project will be competed....

Happy Anniversary baby! I am so lucky to have you! 

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