Wednesday, September 21, 2016

Favorite Things: The Second Baby (aka Products That Are Completely Unnecessary But Somehow I Cannot Live Without)

This post is brought to you by: Moms Who Use Target As Therapy



This whole baby thing is not anything new to us. We know how to change a diaper, we know the tricks to getting a baby to sleep, and we know how to operate heavy machinery (also known as a breast pump). Despite the endless amounts of knowledge on parenting we have to offer (like how to best hold a glass of red wine and a baby without spilling on white carpet), it turns out there are many things I did not know I needed before having a second child.

1. Rock n Play: You guys...how did I ever live without this thing? It is magic. And this one rocks automatically. Whoever invented this deserves a Nobel Prize. I cannot express how many times this has saved me. Just the other night the baby woke up beside herself. I tried nursing her back to sleep, but she wasn't having it. I picked her up, gave her kisses, snuggled a blanket around her, gave her a pacifier, set her down in the Rock n Play, turned it on, and she was asleep in seconds. This scenario has not been out of the ordinary. This product is GOLD.

2. Babyganics Dish and Bottle Soap: This was something I randomly found while slowly walking the aisles of Target at 8:30pm, since you know, this is how I decompress and meditate these days. Seriously, Target saves my sanity. Dear Target, thank you for existing. Anyhow, this dish soap works wonders on bottles, nipples, pump parts, and pacifiers. Dawn always seems to leave a bit of a film, and I always felt a little uncomfortable with how much it made Everett's bottles smell. The Babyganics product just rinses a little cleaner, and it does not leave a film/smell to prove its cleanliness. Every night I soak the bottles and pump parts from the day in hot soapy water, then scrub them clean with a bottle brush. They are staying much cleaner than the first time around. And for the record, Babyganics wipes are now our go-to baby wipes. Love them!

3. Board books: Every parent needs a collection of board books for their kiddos, no matter what the age. I take that back, maybe 11 is a little old for kids to be reading board books. I digress. We discovered the Bunnies book at the library, and I got a copy of all Laura Ellen Anderson's books for Alice because she loved this one so much. She laughs aloud every time we read about bunnies going THUMP. The pictures are engaging and offer opportunities for us to interact. So much more fun than the usual, "Ball, Frog, Boat, Duck."

4. Nosefrida: I realize I am the last parent to jump on this bandwagon. Alice has had about 4 colds since she was born (thanks to an older brother who goes to daycare). The sicknesses were all pretty short-lived, since baby immune systems are miracles. However, it wasn't until her third cold that I broke down and spent the ~$15 on a Nosefrida (one night when I was slowly walking the aisles of Target to decompress after a brutally emotional day). The bulb syringe works great, but Frida is far less...violent. And as gross as the concept sounds, it's really not gross in practice. To be fair, I would 100% vomit if you made me suck the snot out of a baby who didn't belong to me, but since my kids are angelfacefairyunicorns it does not bother me.

5. Lifefactory Bottles: What insane human buys glass baby bottles? *points to self* This guy. Back to the whole conversation of baby products that smell of chemicals, I always felt uncomfortable by the fact that Everett's bottles smelled like plastic and dish soap. I'm that psycho mom who prefers her kids to put clean and green products in their mouths, so glass bottles were never that far of a stretch for me. The Lifefactory bottles are great because they have a silicone sleeve to protect them from drop damage. And I love that that product is made in France, where quality is more important than quantity. They are simple, straightforward, easy to clean, easy to assemble, and they work just fine in the bottle warmer used by the daycare. In short, I love them. I will say that we never had to worry about colic or gas, so I am not sure how these do in that department. Also, if your baby is picky about bottles, maybe don't spend $75 on this pack and try a single bottle first.

6. Inglesina Fast: I always wanted one of these high chairs for Everett. They are perfect for picnics, camping trips, kitchen islands, and sturdy tables. Alice will happily sit in her Inglesina chair and play with toys while I cook/clean/eat/wrangle a toddler. It is also super easy to wipe crusty baby mush off the fabric with a damp cloth after one of her messy meals. The back pocket is perfect for holding wipes, food, etc. for parents who are on the go. In short, this is a great investment.

That's all for now. Go forth and uselessly spend! Your sanity may thank you.

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