Monthly Favorites: Month 9

Little Man is now 9 months!!

Here's what we're loving! 

1. Swimways baby spring float: We use this  lot now that we are getting our nice weather back. It has a detachable sun shade that comes in handy, and it folds down into a nice little carrying case. Jacob loves to go in the pool!

2. Fisher Price Singin' Soccer Ball: Jacob has yet to meet a ball he doesn't like. If it rolls, he's all about it. This one is his favorite though. It's the perfect size for him to hug in his arms and he loves to squeeze it and make it sing.

3. Fisher Price Laugh and Learn Puppy Table: We got this toy out now that Jacob can pull himself up to standing. He loves all the interactive features on the table but especially the laptop. It makes a fun noise when you open or close it and Jacob loves to do exactly that and make the sound over and over.

4. Happy Baby Teethers: We're cutting a 6th tooth :( Jacob likes these because he can hold them in his hand and bite off a little at a time.

5. Crane Cool Mist Humidifier:They call him Freddy the Frog. Jacob gets congested when he's cutting a new tooth and Freddy helps get us through the night without too many wake ups! 

6. Fisher Price Brilliant Basics Musical Activity Walker: Jacob hasn't figured out how to walk with this yet, and it's the one thing he doesn't pull up on, but he loves to sit or kneel in front of it and play with all the musical instruments.

Monthly Favorites: Month 8

Little Man is now 8 months!!

Here's what we're loving! 

1. The MySpa Sound Machine: We use this thing every night now that Jacob is in his own room. He loves the ocean setting and it not only helps him fall asleep, it drowns out any noise from the TV or dogs downstairs, as well as any noise from outside. 

2. Step 2 Push Around Buggy: Our neighbors recently passed this down to us since their girls out grew it and holy cow does Jacob love it! It has a waist strap so he can't fall out and he loved to turn the wheel and pretend he's driving. It's a hoot! 

3. Infantino Cart Cover: We love the versatility of this cover now that Jacob can sit up. It fits over most shopping carts, as well as most restaurant high chairs. Little man LOVES to sit at the table with the rest of the family and mommy's doing a happy dance to have room in the back of the cart again.

4. Happy Baby Puffs: Jacob's favorite snack! He loves to chew on them and can now pick them up and get them in his mouth by himself. He's also figured out how to feed them to the dogs. Oye. 

5. Tommee Tippee Bottle Handles: Jacob can't quite figure out the sippy cup situation yet. Every time we try he chews on the spout like it's a teething toy. These handles though? They snap onto his bottles so he can hold it by himself and still drink from his normal bottle. Excellent!

6. Eric Carle Bath Book and Toys: Jacob's bath time essential. He likes when we squirt him with the toys, but he REALLY loves to sit and read his book.

Monthly Favorites: Month 7

Jacob is 7 months old!!

Jacob is growing by leaps and bounds, it is so fun watching him meet new milestones! 

1. Baeba Babycook: We got this for Christmas, and it is wonderful! It steams and purees Jacobs food, cutting down on dishes. And it gets his foods much smoother than our food processor did.

2. Cooking for Baby: We've been using this cookbook as a guide for introducing new foods. It breaks down recipes by age, giving us a plan for what to give Jacob.

3. Keter Bath Ring: Yup, we've switched up bathtime again. First Jacob outgrew his bath sponge, now he's out grown his baby bath tub. He's sitting up pretty good, but this ring gives him some stability in the tub so we don't have to worry about him falling over into the water. It has suction cups on the bottom too, so it won't tip over.

4. Jungle Book Stacking Toy: Jacob has two stacking toys, this one, and a plastic fisher price one, and he loves them both. He doesn't quite understand how to stack the rings, but he loves taking them off the base and shaking them around and chewing on them.

5. Sophie the Giraffe: This thing is a life saver for the teething child. Jacob has three teeth now, and he loves to chew on Sophie. Her legs and her head take the brunt of his teeth.

6. Fisher Price Crawl Around Car: Also a Christmas present, Jacob loves his car! He likes to turn the steering wheel causing it to light up and sing, and he likes honking the horn. He also likes to lay next to it and turn the wheels.

Check out our past favorites (most of which we are still using) here: 
6 month favorites
5 month favorites
4 month favorites
3 month favorites
2 month favorites
1 month favorites

Monthly Favorites: Month 6

Jacob is 6 months old!!

Jacob started eating solids this month and many of the new things we've been using are related to that.

1. Taggy Blanket: Jacob has become very interested in the tags on his toys and clothes. He liked to rub them between his fingers and chew on them. This blanket thrills him because it has so many tags sewn around it for him to play with.

2. Chicco Poly High Chair: This is where the feeding happens. It's easy to adjust, the tray slides on and off easily and can be put in the dishwasher, and the poly material makes it so easy to wipe down if he makes a mess. It's a winner.

3. Gerber Oatmeal: So far we've tried both the banana and the peach apple flavors, and Jacob loves both. He actually gets upset if we take too long getting it ready.

4. Munchkin Baby bowls and spoons: These are bright, durable and machine washable. Enough said.

5. Fisher Price Jumperoo: Jacob is finally tall enough that he can reach the ground to bounce in his jumperoo and he loves it. The toys are different enough from the toys on his exersaucer that he doens't get bored with them. He loves the lights and sounds too. 

6. Little People Nativity: It's almost Christmas and Jacob loves his little nativity. It's plastic unlike most nativities so he can play with and chew on all the figurines without us worrying. He loves when we press down on the angel which makes the star light up and a Christmas tune play.

Check out our past favorites (most of which we are still using) here: 
5 month favorites
4 month favorites
3 month favorites
2 month favorites
1 month favorites

Monthly favorites: 5 months

Jacob is 5 months old!!

Jacob is really growing developmentally and we've started to get out more of his baby 'gear.' On the flip side, some of his baby things, like his bouncer, have been put away.

1. Mamas and Papas Baby Snug Floor Seat: Jacob has enough head control now that he likes to sit up. He can't quite do it on his own (for very long) yet. This little seat gives him the back support he needs. He likes to sit in his chair both inside and outside playing with his toys or even just watching everyone around him. The little tray helps a lot when he drops toys, as he can still reach them.

2. Baby Moccasins: Oh baby feet. Why are they so hard to keep shoes on? We've fallen in love with baby mocs because not only are they cute, they actually stay on!! The ones pictured are from minimoc and they are so buttery soft and well made.  We hope to get a few more colors soon, but the grey ones go with just about everything.

3. Fisher Price Rainforest Friends Mobile: Jacob hates his crib. HATES it. (We're working on it, I promise) This mobile is the only thing that makes his crib tolerable. He'll lay in there and listen to the music and watch the animals go around and around. He loves it. He'll even let you leave him alone in there with it on. But not more than 15 or so minutes.

4. Hyland's Teething Gel: We started teething this month :( We've tried a few different brands, but like Hyland's gel the best. It seems to make a big difference. He actually stopped fussing when we put in on. Like, right away. Huge sigh of relief.

5. Evenflo Triple Fun Exersaucer: Now that Jacob has more head control he loves to sit in his exersaucer and play with the toys. There are just enough options with music and lights that it easily holds his attention, and the spinning seat means he can rotate all the way around to reach all the different toys. This one is especially nice because it was a play mat when he was little, and later can transition into a table that he can stand and play at.

6. Bright Starts Hop along carrier bar: This is actually a stroller toy. It hooks onto the handles of his car seat and hangs just at eye level within arms reach. One of the best parts of watching Jacob grow has been watching him discover interactive toys. Like his exersaucer the bar has lights and music that play when he interacts with it. It also has a mirror he likes to look into and he loves the noise the beads in the turtle make when he spins it. 

Check out our past favorites (most of which we are still using) here: 
4 month favorites
3 month favorites
2 month favorites
1 month favorites

Monthly Favorites: 4 Months Old

Jacob is 4 months old!!

He is growing by leaps and bounds and learning so many new things. Here are six things he is loving this month! 

1. Sleep Sacks: Jacob has started grabbing at things, and likes to pull them up by his face to try and put them in his mouth. This made me really nervous with the blanket we had been tucking him in with. The sleepsacks cover him and add an extra layer without him being able to pull it up by his face. We have several, by both halo and aden + anais. 

2. Skip Hop Activity mirror: Now that he has good head control while doing tummy time Jacob loves to look at himself in the mirror. He grabs at the toys attached around it too. 

3. His Lovey blanket: Jacob loves his lovey so much. He loves to hold it, rub the dots with his fingers, and try to eat it. Often when he is fussing we just hand him his lovey and it calms him right down.

4. Bumgenius 4.0: Our cloth diaper of choice. They make cloth diapering just as easy as disposable. Only difference is we throw them in the washing maching instead of the trash. They have made the transition to cloth SO easy.

5. Infantino Lovable Linking Jittery Fish: This is Jacob's favorite toy. He loves to hold it and try to eat it. He especially loves the tail because it crinkles, but he also loves touching all the different textures and tags that cover the fish. 

6. Sophie the Giraffe: The ring on this is just the right size for Jacob to grab, and he loves to bite on it and shove it in his mouth. I'm sure once he starts teething he'll love it even more.

Check out our past favorites (which we still love) here: 
3 month favorites
2 month favorites
1 month favorites

Monthly Favorites: 3 Months Old

Jacob is 3 months old!!

This means the fourth trimester is over right?? Jacob is absolutely still loving  all of his one and two month favorites, but here are 6 more favorites now that he is a month older! 

1. Sir Pracelot: This is a stroller toy from Lamaze. It has a ring to clip onto the car seat handle and Jacob loves staring up at him when we are riding in the car, or going for a walk. His body is made from different fabrics and textures for visual interest. Jacob loves grabbing at the rings on his tail. 

2. Snuza Hero: Jacob just started sleeping through the night and it makes momma a little panicky. The Hero is a small clip that goes on Jacobs diaper. Once it's turned on it detects even very small movement like breathing. If Jacob goes too long without breathing, it vibrates to startle him and hopefully get him breathing again. If that doesn't work, an alarm sounds to let us know. We plan on using the Angelcare monitor once he's transitioned to his crib, but it can't be used in his bassinet or rock and play so this is a great solution for now. Daddy calls it Jacob's beeper. 

3. Hillsong United: Not exactly a baby product, but Jacob loves their worship music. When he's having a hard time settling down at night, one last nursing session or bottle snack along with their music calms him right down. 

4. Ceiling Fan: Again, not a baby product, but it's Jacob's favorite thing. Ever. 

5. Carter's Zip-up sleepers: God bless whoever decided to put a zipper on pjs instead of all those snaps. It makes diaper changes a million and one times easier, especially for that first diaper change early in the morning when I'm still half asleep and he's screaming for food because "Hello! It's been 7-8 whole hours since I last ate!"

6. Fisher Price Animal Krackers Rinsin' Tub: Jacob outgrew his baby bath sponge so we transitioned to his big boy bath tub this month. The sling cradles him just right and I don't have to worry about his head not being supported. He likes to hold the red crab toy while I wash him and the cup thing works great for rinsing him off. The plug at the bottom is great because I can let the water drain out while I"m drying him off and focus on dressing him and rocking him and not have our bedtime routine interrupted because I have to go back in and dump it out. 

Previous Monthly Favorites:

1 Month Favorites
2 Month Favorites

Monthly Favorites - 2 Months Old

Jacob is 2 months old!!

Where is the time going? Someone make it stop! Jacob is still loving pretty much all of his one month favorites, but here are 6 more favorites now that he is a month older! 

1. Aden + Anais Burpy Bib: In the beginning Jacob was a really stubborn burper and when he did burp he never spit up. Those days are gone. Little guy is still stubborn sometimes, but most of the time he gives us a good burp and about half the time he spits up. I love these burp cloths because they have snaps at either end so they can be converted into a bib too. 

2. CloudB Twilight Turtle Snug Rug: We actually have the Sleep Sheep Snug Rug as well. Both are so, so soft and cushy. Jacob loves using these rugs to practice his tummy time. They are comfy enough that if he gets too tired during tummy time he'll fall asleep right on the rug. And he is PICKY about where he'll sleep, so that says a lot! 

3. Hyland's Baby Gas Drops: Jacob is very, very, gassy. Without gas drops after every meal we are in for serious fussing. We've used a lot of different brands, and while they all work to an extent, Hyland's are my favorite. They are all natural so I don't have to worry about what's in them. 

4. Fisher Price Rainforest Melodies & Lights Gym: Now that Jacob is focusing his eyes better, he loves playing under his gym and watching the lights flicker back and forth. He is just barely starting to notice the hanging toys, but mostly he loves the lights. 

5. Tana Hoban Black and White Books: Another favorite now that his eyes are focusing are these black and white baby books. Each page has a simple, high contrast black and white image, and Jacob will really look and focus in on them. His eyes are only seeing black and white at this point so they are perfect. 

6. Fisher Price Rock & Play Sleeper: Currently the only place Jacob will sleep at night. He hates being flat on his back and the rock & play has a nice angled bottom to it. He has a beautiful bassinet however, that he is going to have to learn to love because he's not going to fit in the Rock & Play forever. 

Previous Monthly Favorites:

1 Month Favorites

Monthly Favorites - 1 Month Old

It's hard to believe Jacob is one month old already! What a crazy, wonderful month it has been. We just love loving on him! 

Here are some of the things we wouldn't have made it through the month without! 

1. Boppy/Mombo Pillow: We have both of these. One stays upstairs, and one stays downstairs. We use them every. single. time. we nurse. 8-10 times a day. I can't get comfortable nursing without them, it's too hard for me to hold up Jacob and still have a free hand to use the TV remote or my phone. I love being able to lay him on the pillow and have him be just the right height. 

2. Mamaroo: This thing is a God send. Whoever invented it is a genius. It can be set to all different motions and plays all different sounds. Jacob's favorites are the car ride motion and the vaccuum sound. He almost always falls asleep within a few minutes of being placed in the swing and it's the only place downstairs that he'll nap during the day. 

3. Sleep Sheep: This little guy makes white noise too. Jacob's favorite is the rain setting and it helps him sleep at night, when we're out and about, and when he's napping. 

4. Wubbanub: These are the only pacifiers Jake will take. It's an avent soothie pacifier attached to a little plush toy. Jake likes to use his hands to hang onto the toy and it keeps it from falling out of his mouth as often. 

5. Aden + Anais Swaddle Blankets: We use these for swaddling, but also for burping, playing, etc. They are lightweight (important in hot climates like Florida), a little stretchy, and they swaddle SO well. We use these blankets about 90% of the time, and the rest of the time we use the Carter's ones, which are a little heavier. 

6. Britax B-Safe car seat and B-Agile stroller: This is hands down the best decision I made on our registry. The car seat is super easy to use and to snap in and out of the car and the stroller. The stroller is incredibly lightweight, sets up and collapses with one hand, and maneuvers easily. It's easy for me to make trips out with the baby even by myself because the whole system is so lightweight and simple to use. I'm so glad we got it as I am much happier when we can get out and about during the day!