5 Awesome Baby Gifts... and some not so awesome ones.

It's so hard to believe Baby B is already 10 months old! He amazes me every day as he continues to learn and grow so quickly. I just can't believe that in less than three weeks, we'll be celebrating his first Christmas, and before we know it, his first birthday.

With the holiday season underway, I find myself shopping not just for the usual family members and friends I give to every year, but for new adorable tiny humans, as more of my friends start families.  I like to draw upon my whole 10 months of experience, giving baby products that have been my personal favorite. For anyone who might be shopping for a little one this Christmas, here are my top 5 gifts for new moms:

1. Aden and Anais Swaddles and Sleep Sacks- In my opinion, this brand is a must-have for Arizona babies in particular. They're all muslin, breathable fabric and they've been a life-saver when it's 115 outside!

2. Milkies Milk-savers and Madela gel pads- For any breast-feeding mom, these products were worth the money, especially in the beginning months. Milkies saves milk while nursing, and the gel pads- well, they were quite a relief.  Milkies can be found in some specialty boutiques and online here.

3. The Hungry Caterpillar Teether Toy- This was a hand-me-down from Baby B's cousin, and he absolutely loves it.  He likes to bring it everywhere and it rattles so he shakes it around, although it did end up in a man's lunch at a restaurant when it accidentally flew out of his hand.  Mortifying.

4. Activity Table- We first discovered the activity table when we visited VA and my mom had bought one for him while we stayed there. Unfortunately, it wouldn't fit in our suitcase. He loved it so much, we bought another one when we came back!

5. Lillebaby All Seasons Carrier- Another great item for an Arizona arsenal, this carrier is similar to the popular Ergobaby, but has a few different features. Babies can face front, and the carrier has zip-down panels made of mesh so it's breathable. I got it in beige, so it doesn't absorb heat as much. We just went hiking with it last weekend and B had a great time.

Of course, any mom has their favorite and least favorite products and these may work or not work for other babies. In my short experience so far, I've also stumbled upon some products that I wouldn't spend my money on. Here's my list of fails:

Wipe Warmer- Okay, I might be able to understand this if you live in Minnesota and put on a parka to get the mail, but even the name of this product sounds a little over-the-top to me. Like those pet food commercials where they feed a bishon out of a crystal dish. "Anything else my liege? A spot of milk? A massage?"
Belly Bands- Some people swear by these products meant to make your postpartum belly slim down back to normal in no time, but honestly all I was doing the first six weeks after delivery while my uterus returned to its normal size was taking care of my little one while wearing yoga pants and a spit-up covered tank, wandering around like a sleep-deprived zombie. I don't think anyone was looking at my waistline.

Baby Air Jordans- It's true, they are the tiniest and most precious little shoes you'll ever see and they're so cute you just have to buy them. Don't. Once you wrestle them on to your little one and take a picture you will never use them again.

Baby Bathroom Harness- During one of my many web-searches about baby-related topics I came across this product. I'd never heard of it before but I can tell you right now based on the picture, I will never buy it. And I'm pretty sure it's illegal in some states.

At 10 months, Baby B likes walking while holding my hands, kicking his ball, putting things in boxes and taking them out, opening and closing doors, drawers and cabinets, stacking toys, feeding himself, babbling, and so much more!

He dislikes getting dressed, diaper changes, Santa Claus, and waiting.

Fall Fun

This month, Baby B had his second plane ride. Another sleepy red-eye flight, this time to my hometown in VA to visit our family, and Fall.  We had a wonderful time with Grandmama and Abuelo, Papa and Nana, Grammy (my grandmother!) uncles, aunts, and his 2-year-old twin cousins. 

Our fun-packed trip included multiple visits to farm festivals, and Baby B's first hayride!

And, baby's first visit to the nation's capital, where he tested out the new grass on the National Mall.

We returned just in time to celebrate Halloween with his other cousins. Superman had a wonderful time trick-or-treating!

At 9 months, Baby B isn't a big fan of sitting still, so this was the best photo we were able to get. He's 29 3/4 inches tall, and 19lbs 9.6oz.

Baby B likes: playing in the grass, playing with his ball, cruising, rearranging furniture, tickles, biting noses, watching his Kuya's soccer games, and playing with all of his cousins.

He dislikes: Naptime, being on his back, diaper changes, wearing pants, and strangers (especially the pediatrician)

Hot Diggity Dog

Before becoming a parent, I knew there was a world out there that existed that I was completely unfamiliar with. It has its own language, it’s own themes and characters, and of course songs. My God, the songs.  Back then, I didn’t care to become familiar with it. In fact, I was kind of grateful to be oblivious.  But now, I’m afraid we’ve delved head-first into the world that is… children’s television.

From tiny doctors to talking tools, to a team of underwater explorers led by a polar bear with a mustache, kids shows have come a long way from the Muppets and Mr. Rodgers I grew up with. There are British pigs and tiny fish-people. There are talking trains (not to be confused with Thomas the Tank Engine) and talking dinosaurs who ride trains that don’t talk.

I’ve learned a few universal laws of children from these shows so far. For one, kids love trains. They also love songs (or at least I’d hope so because everything just has to be sung. Everything.) And, I’ve learned that Mickey Mouse is universally appealing.

I don’t know what it is about that iconic cartoon mouse that has captured children’s attention and adoration since 1928. Every time he comes on TV to introduce Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Baby B drops what he’s doing and smiles. From what we can tell it is by far his favorite show, which makes me glad because most of the time I don’t really care about what the talking tools and trains have to say.

In each episode, Mickey Mouse and his friends (the familiar Goofy, Donald Duck, Minnie and Pluto) solve puzzles with the help of the invisible anticipated pre-school audience at home, and they always end with- you guessed it- a song.  The hot dog song. And if Baby B could tell you what his favorite song is, I’m sure he would reply, “Hot Diggity Dog!”

At 8 months, Baby B likes… Mickey Mouse, crawling, cruising, bath time, live music, puffs, playdates, FaceTime, dancing, and clapping.

Baby B dislikes… getting dressed, changing diapers, being on his back, and strangers.

Homeowners

Drew and I did the math.  A lot of math. The first numbers we ran- the fact that we've each moved at least every two years for the past decade. Packing up everything we own in boxes, trucking it to the next destination, setting it back up carefully to avoid permanently damaging the drywall.  I haven't had a place to return to every night and really call home since I was 18. Well, I'm happy to say we've packed for the last time in the foreseeable future.

We're home.

And we own it! I can damage the drywall if I want! It was a move several months in the making, between visiting a dozen houses, applying for a loan, negotiating a price, and since we still had nearly a month left on our lease by closing, we were able to paint and prep everything the way we wanted- confusing our dog and baby every step of the way. Finally the day came when we packed them up as well, and settled in. *

Our new home is a four-bedroom in a nice neighborhood with two parks and a community pool all less than a block away. It's got a grass backyard, which in Arizona can be hard to come by.  I'm so excited to think that Baby B will be growing up in a great neighborhood with great schools, in a safe environment with several neighbors around his own age. He's pretty excited about his new playroom.

 At 7 months, Baby B Likes... crawling, standing, climbing, eating, laughing, swimming, Mickey Mouse, getting tickled, brushing his teeth, and chasing Max.

Baby B Dislikes... naptime, buckles, growing teeth, staying still, green beans, and when Mommy walks out of the room.

* No babies or dogs were actually packed or harmed in the making of this blog.