Raindrops on Roses and Whiskers on Kittens

Preface: When you read the favorite things editions, you must read/think in a British accent because that is the voice I typed it in. 

Hello, and welcome all to the first edition on my favorite things. Today's topic will be my favorite baby things. Fitting, no?


I have been a mother for five months, so obviously I'm an expert. And because I have a wealth of knowledge and a crap load of friends that will be pushing babies out of their poor va-jay-jay's soon, I thought I'd share a few things that have saved the single shred of sanity that I have left. 


Tons of people tell me that they feel overwhelmed when shopping for their first baby. Here's are some tips you might find helpful:


 ***Avoid Babies R Us like the plague! A sick, puss filled, oozing,  hacking plague. I didn't step foot in Babies R Us until I was 8 months pregnant. We already had everything we needed and we were broke, so I only had a teeny urge to spend our life savings.***


***Wait until AFTER your baby shower to buy toys, clothes, burp cloths, bibs, blankets, etc. This is a tough one, but it can be done!***


***Borrow, Borrow, Borrow! And if you can't borrow it, buy it used and sanitize the shiz out of it! It doesn't make you stingy. It means you're smart. Baby stuff only lasts so long, takes up a lot of space, and is EXPENSIVE. There are tons of people on KSL trying to get rid of their baby crap.***
  

*The Straight Jacket* 
(It's actually called the SwaddleMe, but let's call  a spade a spade)


Why it saved our lives - It keeps the baby swaddled which provides them with comfort and a looooooooong nights sleep (10-12 hrs for my bambina), It keeps the baby warm, You don't have to worry about the baby becoming unswaddled and suffocating like you will with a regular blanket.


The only hard thing about this was trying to ween her off of it. The night I took it away I swear she woke up 10 times. It turns out I was taking it away too early. I gave her another month and tried again and now she's sleeping just fine.  

*White Noise*


Everything I read said white noise would help babies sleep longer, and because I'm a sleep whore I had to investigate. I found this little gem of a site that lets you download white noise MP3's.
http://cantonbecker.com/music/white-noise-sleep-sounds/mp3s.php
I downloaded them on my iPod, put that sucker on repeat, and play it in her room all night long. Way cheaper than buying a $50 noise machine! (are you still reading with an accent?)

*The SnotSucker*


Don't vomit.Being a mother is gross, you just need to accept it and get over it. This thing is the bomb DOT com. If you don't believe me look up the reviews on Amazon.  

*The JJ Cole Carseat Blanket*


The reasons why I love this are three fold. It keeps Eva warm and snuggly, I don't have to take a blanket everywhere I go, and because she has a severe pooping problem and sometimes it leaks out of her pants and everything. SO SICK! Anyway, this has been great because when poop disaster strikes, I don't have to tear apart the whole carseat to clean it. I just have to wash the blanket. SCORE! 

 *Hyland's Teething Tablets*


The Diva is still toothless, but I can tell when her gums hurt (or I just want her to shutup so I drug her). I had a few people recommend these teething tablets to me, so i gave them a shot. They are all natural, dissolvable, magical, and available at your local Wal-Mart. 

*The Bath Sponge*


This is a muy bueno alternative to a plastic tub because it was only $8, it just looks pretty comfy, and it doesn't take a lot of space to store it. I make sure and put a wash cloth under her booty, just in case!