Eleven and Twelve Month Favorites

Eleven and Twelve Month Favorites by homeofmalones on Polyvore

Melissa and Doug Bead Maze - Love these wooden M&D toys and Brody loves to play with all the patterns. 

Life Factory Sippy Cup Lids - These have been so great to screw onto our Dr. Browns bottles and make for a great transition into zippy cups.

Hape Wooden Gourmet Kitchen - We gave this to him as an early birthday gift from my Mom and you wouldn't believe how much this thing keeps him entertained.  He loves to play with the doors and it will be so fun to watch him grow into this toy.  Plus, it's pretty and I don't mind it in my family room :)

Spiralin Water Park Table - Perfect for outdoor play and even though he can't use it to it's full capability yet, he still loves playing in it. 

Little Tikes Swing- These swings are a must for babies that love outdoors.  I wish we had hung ours months ago...

Rubber Bouncy Ball- He's loving balls right now and these soft bouncy balls are perfect.  We got ours in a Citrus Lane package and it's been fun to throw and roll with him. 

Honestly, our house is full of toys right now especially after his birthday party.  These are just a few good ones that he really seemed to take a liking to.  The truth is that if I'm in the kitchen, he would rather be climbing in the dishwater or pulling at our spice drawer or sneaking into the pantry than playing with all his toys.  He likes to play with his toys as long as someone else is playing with him.  However, I have already noticed a big difference in how well he is playing alone now since his first birthday party.  

What toys or things are helping with your one year old??

 

Monthly Favorites | Eight Nine and Ten Months

I've tried to keep up with some of our favorite toys and accessories that we've used with Brody that have been life savers around these parts.  I got a bit behind, but finally I have our favorites during Brody's Eighth, Ninth, and Tenth Month.  You can find his other favorites here.  All of these items make great gifts for Mother's to be or for nieces, nephews and Godchildren too! 

It's been a ton of fun these last several months as he started crawling right at eight months which meant he could move to the toy he wanted to play with.  Many times it wasn't a toy that he wanted to play with, but rather a book off the coffee table or my computer cord on the floor.  But when he did play with toys, these were some of his favorites.  

Eight, Nine and Ten Month Favorites by homeofmalones featuring ivory shoes

iPad Holder for Car or Plane - This gadget has been a lifesaver for car rides over an hour.  It easily straps over the headrest in your car and you slide your iPad right in.  I haven't used it on a plane yet, but I know it will definitely help pass time...
Radio Flyer Walker - I swear by this radio flyer walker.  I honestly think it's what started our child walking at nine months old.  It makes this little clicking sound when it rolls and Brody loved it.  It's way more sturdy than most walkers you see out there plus it's super cute.  Best Christmas gift ever.
VTech Roll and Learn Activity Suitcase - This little gadget has lots of buttons and noises and toys to take off and put back on and it seems to hold his attention more than most.  It rolls like a suitcase and opens like a suitcase too.
Rocktivity Tunes Piano - My Mom got him this little gadget and it cracks me up because of the little pull down lever like a slot machine.  It's his favorite part of the toy.  This piano is a great size and even has the option for the sound to be in English or Spanish.  Brody might me speaking Spanish to me and I don't even know it....
Mickey Mouse Club House - Addicted.  Mesmerized. Yikes.  Enough said.
Freshly Picked Moccasins - I know I've talked about these before around here and you've definitely seen lots of pictures of Brody in them, but it's because they are the only pair of shoes that stay on his feet.  They are amazing.  They are soft and perfect when he was learning to walk.  They are easy to put on and take off.  I we love them.
Brown Bear Board Book- He's really getting into books now and this is definitely his favorite.  The animals and the colors get his attention every time.
Gerber lil Crunchies - I understand these crunchies probably have no nutritional value at all but my child loves them!  They are honestly the food I give credit to teaching him how to chew his food.  They have lots of flavors and the perfect easy snack that keeps him silent when needed!! Amen.

We also changed Brody over to a convertible carseat at 9 months old facing backwards.  I made a bit of an impulse buy at Babies R Us one day when this was on sale and I had a little buyers remorse.  Usually, I would do tons of research online and find out the best one; but I didn't.  I've honestly been really happy with it and Brody seems to be super comfortable.   Installing it didn't seem to be a real easy process though and we actually have a towel wedged in between the front of carseat and the seat.  It's hard to explain, but the directions actually tell you to use a rolled up towel or a styrofoam noodle.   That seemed a bit sketch, but I don't have anything to compare it to.  

I love the material of the seat and the cup holder and the comfort and cushiness of the chair.  Brody doesn't complain and it's safe, so Mama doesn't complain.  

Maxi Cosi Convertible Car Seat

What toys are your kids loving these days?  Brody's first birthday is coming up soon and I could use some new ideas...although I have already purchased a few of those gifts too!!!

Linking up with Kristin today for Baby Talk. 

 

And Sam, Renee , Jenni and Khala for Tuesday Tea! 

 

Six and Seven Month Favorites

I'm a little behind on these favorites as Brody turns 8 months old this week, but here they are.  I noticed they pretty much all have to do with bath time, eating or teething; but that is basically what we have done for the last couple of months.  

I was so excited to start feeding Brody "real" food and we did that the day he turned 6 months old.  From then, we have tried different things that make life easier for feeding.  I wouldn't say that Brody took to eating really ambitiously... In fact, our first meal was quite the disappointment.  I expected him to feel like he was getting something decadent, but instead he made terrible faces and didn't eat very much.  We started with sweet potatoes and we have tried lots of different fruits and vegetables now.  Some meals Brody scarfs the food down and other meals he could care less about eating.  He certainly doesn't take after his Mother in that respect.  I never miss a meal :)

Bath time has always been part of our nightly routine and has only gotten more and more fun.  He sits in his little bath ring and now can play with toys and enjoy some bath bubbles.  

Boon Highchair - When I first started feeding Brody, we didn't have a high chair and I would just feed him in the bumbo.  I always felt like he was too distracted and that's why he wasn't being a great eater.  This Boon highchair was quite the game changer.  Now he knows it's meal time, its a great fit and he can't reach anything else around him.  It's super easy to clean and has small wheels on the bottom so it is easy to move around.  We love it.  
Baby Bath Tub Ring - This was a great transition from his baby bath tub we used.  He grew out of the baby tub and I wasn't ready to sit him up in the big tub all by himself since he was still a bit wobbly.  

Boon Bath Toys - We received these in a Citrus Lane box and love them.  He uses them as teething toys as well as bath toys.  They float and stick to the walls and provide great entertainment!

Hylands Teething Tablets - These seem to work almost instantly and have been a lifesaver many of days.  I tried one myself first just to see how quickly they dissolve and it's within a second.  It's amazing.  

Baby Bjorn Bibs - Easiest wipe down ever and great food catcher. Plus no extra laundry. Enough said.

Infantino Spoons - Brody seems to do better with these spoons connected to the food pouches. He likes to feed himself and he can grab a hold of the pouch better than a regular spoon I guess.  They are great for feeding on the go as well and come with a carrying case. 

Activity Walker - These activity walkers are fantastic because they can be used sitting down first before your baby can start standing or walking.  He loves to sit in front of ours and play with all the gadgets and colors. 

Ella's Kitchen Baby Food Pouch - Let's be honest here.  I had every great intention of making lots of baby food of my own, but besides a mashed banana or avocado, it has all been organic pouches.  They are soo easy! I made my first big batch of homemade sweet potatoes today that I was very proud of, but how boring.....the poor kid will hate sweet potatoes by the time he is done eating it all.  I love the variety that the pouches provide.  More than I can ever put together....

What is your baby loving these days???  I'm always looking for new entertainment for this kid that has about a 3 min attention span....

Month Four and Five Favorites

I can't believe Brody is already five months old.  These last couple of months have been fun watching his little mind work in overdrive as he has become so much more aware of his surroundings.  He is awake so much of the day now and is in need of entertainment.  My challenges these last few months have been keeping the little guy occupied constantly.  It truly is a full time job as they say.  Here are a few of the items that have helped me out in the entertainment department during months four and five. 

Love You Zoo Jumperoo // We still have to use a pillow under his legs for the jumperoo right now, but it is so much fun to watch him discover new things on this toy each day.  
Feel and Learn Soft Book //  He is obsessed with this book and loves the crinkling sound.   
Oball Rattle  //  The Oball products are so nice because the holes allow them to grasp the toy well.  He loves this ball and the sounds the rattle makes.  
Lamaze Tomy Peacock //  The colors, mirror, crinkling noise and squeaky button all keep him entertained in the car for me. 
Sassy Sit and Play Sensory Seat  // This little seat has been nice to use to help him sit up and play.  It has toys connected to it so he can grab them easily. 
Sophie the Giraffe // I've kept Sophie around since he was born but it wasn't until the last month or so that he has really started taking a liking to her and figured out that he is supposed to chew on her.  
Innobaby Teething Rattle // We love this little rattle for entertainment and it is also a great chew toy for him.  I carry this along with us wherever we go.  

What are some of your favorite recommendations for entertaining your baby??

Month Three Favorites

Bumbo Floor Seat  //  Fisher Price Discover and Grow Swing Seat  //  Bright Starts Snuggle & Teethe Giraffe // Angel Dear Blankie //  Fisher Price Rock N Play Sleeper // Rockabye Baby Lullabies //  Uppababy Vista Stroller & Uppababy Bassinet Stand  //  Bright Starts Stroller Links

As the little man spends more and more time awake during the day, it's been my job to keep him entertained.  Month three is slightly tricky because they are becoming more and more aware of their surroundings, yet really can't entertain themselves.  We have continued to stay on an "eat, play, sleep" routine and have been trying out new things to utilize during the "play" time.  

We love the Bumbo and my mother-in-law gave us the FP Swing Seat at one of our showers and mostly he has been too small to utilize it until recently.   He is now able to sit in it comfortably and start to slap at the little toys that hang.  This seat is also nice because it is light-weight and easy to move around, so I sometimes have it in my bathroom while getting ready or have brought it along for our road trips as a portable swing.

The carseat has been a really fun challenge for us.  Basically, I'm willing to try anything to make him happy in there these days.  Sometimes he will put himself to sleep, but when he doesn't, he is usually crying his eyes out.  One thing that has been a real savior a lot is the Rockabye Baby CDs.  They can shut him up pretty quick lately and they are a lot of fun to listen to.  I will sometimes put on the Rockbye Baby Pandora Station and my husband and I will play a little game of "Name this Song."  It's actually fun to listen to.  I use the giraffe, Angel Dear Blankie and the stroller links in the carseat as well!

We still absolutely adore our stroller, but more specifically, we love the bassinet!  I will be very sad the day he grows out of it.  The weather has been great recently and I like to take him for a walk every morning and he has a ball in that bassinet.  I hang toys from the stroller links and he plays with them the whole time.  A lot of times he falls asleep on our walks as well.  I also gave a link to the bassinet stand which I don't own, but is great to use next to your bedside when baby is still sleeping in your room.

The FP Rock N' Play sleeper has come in handy again this month as we took a couple of road trips and it was the perfect thing to pack for him to sleep in.  It's lightweight, easy to fold and throw in the car and he sleeps SO well in it.  I wasn't ready for him to sleep in a big pack N' play yet, so this worked out great.

Any suggestions for 3 month olds?  How about car seat entertainment??

One and Two Month Favorites

Several of our favorite items that we've used over the last two months with baby Brody: 

{Click on Image for links to all products}

Boppy - I'm pretty sure just about everyone registers for this item or something similar and it has been wonderful for us.  It works great for breastfeeding and is nice to sit the baby up in and is so comfortable.  I love my boppy covers from PB Kids, but you can find tons of cute ones on Etsy as well.

Mustela Pump in Style - For any Mom looking to have a little freedom in her life, a nice electric breast-pump is a must.  I love this one and I think I am a little weird and actually enjoy pumping.  I pump once a day and sometimes more.  It's feels so good each time I place a new container of breastmilk in the freezer!

Fisher Price Play Mat - There are a lot of different styles out there and I'm sure they are all great.  This one has worked great for us and he absolutely loves it.  I don't think we broke ours out until he was about 4 weeks old, but I honestly don't think it's ever too early to try them out on it.  I wasn't sure what was the right age, but each day they will discover new things on it and will like it for longer periods of time.  This is also where we work on his tummy time. 

Oatmeal - I try and have this 3 or 4 mornings a week for breakfast.  I swear it helps with your milk supply.  I have read in several places that they say it is a food that increases milk supply, but I honestly don't know the specifics about it.  Luckily, I love oatmeal anyway.  Add some agave, mashed banana, chia seeds, and a scoop of peanut butter and it is delish!

Boon Drying Rack - Perfect for drying all those pump parts and bottles and nipples and looks pretty. Enough said.  

Lifenest Sleep System - I was sold this sleep system at our local baby store and once the sales person explained to me what this was for, I thought to myself, "Well, how can I not purchase it now?"  It is basically a hammock that is netted that you place your baby on and if they were to roll over, they can still breath through the netting.  So it prevents SIDS and it also is sold to help prevent babies from getting flat heads.  It really helped put my mind at ease when we moved Brody to the crib at 4 weeks old.  I only expect this system to fit him through about 3 months of age which is fine because by then he should be able to move around well on his own.  I do highly recommend this if you plan to put your baby in their own room and want to ease your mind about them breathing if they were to roll over.  

Bella B Nipple Butter - Amazing for sore, cracked nipples.  Safe for baby and works as lip balm too!

WubbaNub Pacifier - Brody has been funny about pacifiers.  He took the gumdrops first and then he went through a phase when I didn't think he was going to take any pacifier anymore and now he will only take the Wubbanubs.  I love it too because he is now hugging the little animal with his arms and it's so sweet looking.

Honest Company Products - I really like all the products that I've used so far which is quite a lot.  They only one I found that hasn't worked that well is the laundry stain remover.  It just doesn't seem to get out those tough stains from a diaper explosion if you know what I mean! Oxyclean still works much better for that.  

Carseat Cover - This is really nice to have when you start taking your baby out and about.  You can cover your baby up in the carseat and then you don't have people trying to touch their hands and wake them up if they are sleeping.  It also is nice to help block the sun.  They have all types of cute options on Etsy. 

Mom's On Call Book - I have talked about this book numerous times.  We have loved referring to it since Brody was born and we also utilize it to refer to a routine for Brody.  Great sleep tips and basic baby care as well.  

Covered Goods Breastfeeding Cover - Super cute options for great, light-weight covers for breastfeeding.  We had tons of company in the beginning and instead of having to move away from the crowd and go sit in a room by myself, I was able to throw this on and still be joined in the converation while feeding the baby.  

Similac 2 oz Bottles - We were introduced to these in the ICU when Brody was born and now I am thankful.  I kind of despised them at first because it meant that I was not producing enough milk for Brody in the hospital and they were wanting me to supplement, but now I'm glad they did and it made me realize that it was okay if I needed to give him 2 oz or so once a day to supplement him.  It helped me be able to get out of the house more too because I would pump, but not always enough in the beginning, and I could leave one of these bottles too in case he needed it.  Just remember.  Happy Mama, Happy Baby.  Don't kill yourself or be too hard on yourself if you are breastfeeding.  A little supplementing is not going to hurt! 

PB Farm Rattles - So far we have loved these little rattles to hang on his car seat and his stroller bassinet for walks.  It helps keep him entertained and they are really cute looking too!

Nightlight - I posted about this nightlight in my post about packing for the hospital and we really have continued to use it.  It stays plugged-in in his nursery and when I go in their at night to feed, I use this to change his diaper so I don't have to turn on too much light.  It's perfect. 

Kissy Kissy Convertible Gowns - I just love this brand because they are so soft and cute, but there are other brands out there that make these gowns.  They are so perfect in the beginning because you are changing a lot of diapers and this requires no buttons!  You just slip it up and change the diaper and slip it back down.  As they get bigger, you can change the buttons to make little legs out of the gown.  It's great.  

Halo Sleepsack Swaddle - I have tried out LOTS of different swaddles now and these definitely have worked the best for us.  The aden + anais blankets are wonderful, but they do not hold tight enough for our nighttime swaddles.  We really like these and they are so easy to use.  Even Matt can do them :)  Plus it makes for easy diaper changes in the middle of the night because you are just unzipping the zipper half way and zipping back up as opposed to having to re-swaddle in the middle of the night.  Trust me.  That's not fun.

What have been your favorite items for your newborn?