TGIF & Top 10 Baby Things: Part 1

Since Emma is turning 1 year old *gasp* in a couple of weeks, I thought I'd honor that by making a top 10 list of baby items that we both really loved and used almost daily.  These are items #10-#6...  ENJOY!

#10. Baby Jogger City-mini stroller

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This is Halle Berry demonstrating how light and easy it is to carry this stroller around!  Seriously, it is that simple.

When my husband and I were researching strollers, my one must-meet requirement was that the stroller be easy to lift and fold (so that my petite-ness could handle it).  We went to BuyBuy Baby (which has the best customer service, btw) and one of the workers clued us into the Baby Jogger line of strollers.  While the stroller is a little expensive, it is seriously awesome.  It's lightweight, it turns on a dime because of the 3-wheel system.  It also has a convertible attachment so you can just plop a carseat right in, when the baby can't sit up yet.  The best part is the fold mechanism: you pull a strap in the seat of the stroller and the whole thing collapses down.  You never have to push any buttons or wrangle it flat to stuff in the trunk of the car.  It is AWESOME. 

#9. Grovia snap-close diapers

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So, I've talked about washable diapers before.  While diapering is not the funnest part of having a baby, it is necessary and Grovia has made it easier and environmentally friendly.  (My husband was even on board with the cloth diapering!)  The shells (outer, waterproof covers) have a variety of patterns, which are cute all on their own.  And then inside soaker pad is super absorbent.  We've only had a few leak problems that mostly had to do with when she started eating solids.

Personally, I like the snap closures because they last longer (after a year, the velcro--like in the picture above--has lost its stickiness).  The downside to the Grovias is that the leg openings are not adjustable, so that you have to wait until the baby's thigh is big enough to fill it on the smallest snap-setting.  For Emma, it meant she couldn't wear these until she was over 1-month old...skinny legs!

As for laundry, I do it every other day.  Cold rinse, then hot wash w/ detergent, then cold rinse.  Then, it goes in the dryer for about 1.5 cycles on low heat.  It means you have to go into the laundry room three times (after the 1st cold rinse, transferring to dryer, and running dryer for another .5 cycle), but it's really not too bad.

As for water/heat/electric bills...our water bill was barely affected...it went up maybe $3/month.  Our gas bill (we have gas heating) went up about $20-25, depending on the month.  I'm not really sure how our electric bill was affected because we turned on our a/c more than usual over the summer and opened the fridge more often, so I think it was just higher because of adding another person to the household.

In the end, washable has still saved us money.  You can calculate figures here, if you're interested in going the way of the cloth.

#8. Sassy ring o' links

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I found these through the duetletterpress blog.  She recently had a baby and listed these toys as fascinating and versatile.  They really are.  Emma loves these.  When she was younger, she only stared at the colors.  When she got older, she reached for them.  Now, she bangs them together, she taps them against her other toys to make noise, she chews on them because they feel good on her teething gums.  They unlink and you can put a couple here and there...some in her play area, some on her stroller, some on her carseat. 

#7. Beco Gemini carrier 

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This is similar to the Ergo carrier in that it is designed to not squish a baby's "bits," unlike the Babybjorn...meaning, it doesn't hold the baby by the crotch, but by the baby's squishy bottom.

When I went back to work, I started wearing Emma on me when I came home while I did some housework, washed my breastpump parts, and took her for a walk.  We both liked the closeness after a full day without each other.  It's pretty easy to use and I like that it's convertible: inward-facing, front-facing, side-carrying, and back-carrying.  I still use this almost daily.

#6. Carter's onesies

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I know Carter's is a bit expensive, but these fit the best on my slender Emma.  You can find their budget-friendly line at Target.  They're soft, slim, and long.  The shoulders aren't too wide and, of course, they're machine washable, machine dryable.

Plus, I'm all for easy baby managing.  My husband tells me I'm a "no-frills" mom.  I don't really do the accessories: the hair bows, the frilly socks, the cute dresses, the unnecessary shoes.  I'm a mom who sometimes skips the pants.  So, onesies are my favorite clothing item.  It makes for simple diaper changes, and simple dressing in the morning.  Love these and their cute patterns!


I feel like I'm a walking advertisement today.  ha.
Happy Friday, everyone!