Mini Fashion: Spring Swimsuits

Fact: I love winter. I don't love being cold (which of course I always am), but I love everything else associated with winter, and so usually by this time of the year I'm mourning the melting snow and saying a sad goodbye to the ski season. This year, however, has been different. Maybe it's because we had the best spring and summer last year or maybe because sunny weather and warm temps graced Denver early, but I've been hit with spring fever hard and now can't wait for popsicles, bare feet and the pool.

Since wearing a swimsuit myself is not an option now or anytime soon (damn you, Denver ice cream shops!!), I thought I'd share a few of my favorite swimsuits for little ones. GapKids and Old Navy are my usual go-to stores for Sydney's swimsuits, and typically by now I have the entire line a few purchased already, but this year I was pretty disappointed in both stores' options. I'm not a huge fan of their prints, colors or styles of swimsuits, so I've been forced to look elsewhere. Luckily, there are so many choices...

Pink Eyelet Ruffle // Salmon Ruffle Bikini // Multi-Striped Halter // Heart Tankini // Peach Chevron One-Piece // Pink Gingham Cut-Out // Peach Seersucker Ruffle 2-Piece

How adorable are all these?! If your little one is able to fit into BabyGap sizes, I highly recommend checking them out because there are so many tiny ruffled swimsuits I died over, and I also am loving nearly every suit from Crewcuts at J.Crew. And of course I can't say enough about Crew & Lu's swimsuit line---these suits are beyond darling, and the craftsmanship that go into making each and every one cannot be beat.

Happy Spring, everyone! Cheers to all the warm sunny days ahead of us. 😎

Hello, Fall!

Wednesday was evidently the first day of fall (I wouldn't know as Denver has been a balmy 85-degrees and sunny), and although it makes me the most basic girl ever -- I LOVE THIS TIME OF YEAR. (And I know; I'm over 30. Time to start calling myself a woman. I don't even get carded anymore, but that's a whole other topic...)

The weather, the clothes, the activities, the football, the holidays, the pumpkin spice everything -- it's all so good. Not to mention people's moods; is it just me or does fall kind of re-energize everyone and put them in a happier mood? Anyway, even though my house is barely decorated yet (I do have a marble pumpkin sitting on our coffee table, so I've got that going for me), I thought I would share a few of my fall 2015 must-haves...you know, because I'm such a trendsetter with my every day running pants and Fitbit.

1. Nail Polish // 2. Pumpkin Candle // 3. Cat Dress // 4. Scarf // 5. Latte Bowls // 6. Cat Pajamas // 7. Leather Jacket // 8. Pumpkin Spice Creamer // 9. Critter Shoes // 10. 2016 Planner

Pregnancy Favorites

With so many of my girlfriends and acquaintances who are pregnant or are going to be pregnant soon, I thought it was only appropriate I list my top ten favorite items I used during my pregnancy. Same disclaimer as always: I'm by all means not an expert on this stuff, but I thought it might be helpful to other mamas-to-be to share what I couldn't live without during my pregnancy with Sydney. So, without further ado...

1. Spoiled Mama Tummy Butter and Bump Gloss - Like most women, I worried about getting stretch marks . . . but I worried about it when I was -- oh maybe six weeks pregnant? (We found out I was pregnant super early. C'mon -- I had 34 weeks ahead!) I know stretch marks are usually hereditary, but being that I don't know my [biological] mother's history, I felt it couldn't hurt to take precautions. I immediately began researching the best stretch mark lotion and found The Spoiled Mama to be a pregnant woman's favorite. I started with only the lotion, using maybe once every other day, and then gradually increased to once a day and then twice a day, applying after using the gloss. At the end of my pregnancy, I was bathing in 'generously applying' the gloss and lotion at least twice a day, but it was worth it because I never got stretch marks (and I feel like I stretched A LOT).

2. A Pea in the Pod Maternity Ponte Leggings - I would advise any pregnant woman to invest in a good pair of leggings because you. will. use. them. Most women usually cringe at the thought of maternity clothes. I mean, I get it -- most maternity wear is still so ugly. But pants that have ELASTIC WAISTBANDS that look like regular pants?! If you know me well (or at all), you know what side I'm clearly on. Still, I struggled to find cute maternity clothes because everything I tried on looked frumpy, dowdy or tacky. I found this pair of leggings from A Pea in the Pod and was pleasantly surprised by the fit, and dare I say even flattering?? In a sea of weird-fitting/ill-fitting/not-fitting clothes, these were an immediate purchase.

3. Leachco Snoogle Pregnancy Pillow - A girlfriend told me to buy a pregnancy pillow sooner rather than later, so after careful research (are you noticing a trend here? I research a LOT, ha) I purchased the Leachco Snoogle . . . when I was five weeks along. Pretty sure she didn't mean that early, but what can I say? I was just so excited to welcome a huge body-sized pillow into our bed. I'm so glad I started early, though, because I had a hard time getting used to the pillow at first (I usually sleep flat on my back). By the time I was huge and uncomfortable, I was able to snuggle into the pillow and never had any troubles falling asleep. Since Sydney's birth we've moved the pillow to a closet in one of our guest rooms, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't kind of miss it. ;-)

4. Organic Ginger Root Capsules - I mentioned earlier we found out I was pregnant really early; we found out when I was about four weeks along, so between then and eight weeks I felt GREAT. Awesome. Pregnancy was a breeze, and I couldn't figure out what all the fuss was about. Then week eight came and I was suddenly hit with a Mack truck carrying 24/7 nausea, ZzzQuil-induced tiredness and all around yarfness. It was like the worst hangover combined with a serious aversion to the majority of foods that would normally make me feel better but without all the fun from the night before. Nothing made me feel better -- until Jordan's dad's wife gave me one of her all-natural ginger pills that she takes for motion sickness. I can't say I was ready to climb a 14er (like my sweet husband suggested we do one sunny Saturday in my early days of pregnancy -- are you f-ing kidding me?), but I did feel significantly less vomit-y.

5. Bump Sparkle Water - I don't know how I stumbled across this water initially, but I'm so glad I did because I loved it. I didn't realize how much I loved beverages--alcoholic and non-alcoholic the same--until I became pregnant and suddenly my choices went from the world is my oyster to the world is only water. I've begun to realize I usually always have at least two different beverages with every meal, usually three. (I'm really thirsty evidently.) Bump Water had me at hello for its 100% RDA of folic acid (essential for healthy fetal development), Vitamin A, D, B6 and B12, Niacin, Biotin, Zing and Magnesium. I loved the Cranberry Ginger Sparkle Lite because I a) was drinking anything that had 'ginger' in the name (see above); b) loved the bubbly; and c) wasn't very sugary or sweet. The bottles are of course BPA-free and the water is all natural. A total win-win!

6. SmartWool Ultralight Compression Socks - Although I traveled quite a bit during my pregnancy, thankfully I never really swelled up until the very-very end (I'm talking like a couple days before I gave birth) -- THANK GOODNESS. The horror stories I heard terrified me, and I irrationally feared puffy feet. I accredit the blessing of non-swollen feet to my dedication of drinking a zillion ounces of water a day and to these awesome compression socks. While traveling for work, I used to have multiple flights to catch in addition to long hours on my feet, so I bought a couple of pairs to try and alleviate any swelling that may occur -- and they worked so well! One time we even had to make the 14+ hour drive back to Minnesota and my feet stayed their original size. Thank you, SmartWool!!

7. Vaseline Cocoa Butter Lotion - I don't really know why I switched lotions when I became pregnant; maybe I thought using cocoa butter lotion everywhere on my body would send good vibes to my belly to keep it from stretching? Regardless of the reason, I ended up really loving this particular lotion despite testing out other cocoa butters. My skin felt more soft and more moisturized than it had in long while (CO winters are brutally dry), and now that the seasons are changing and the weather is getting cooler, I've started using it again. (No, not pregnant, Mom.)

8. A Pea in the Pod Maternity Sweater - I would also advise to any pregnant woman to not only invest in a good pair of leggings but also a good go-to top. When I first started at my previous job, I remember complimenting a pregnant co-worker on how great she looked and how she was all bump -- to which she would always say, "Thanks, but I'm huge and disgusting," or something along those lines. I couldn't figure it out because she really did look great, but then I got pregnant and immediately understood. Generally speaking, being pregnant is hard. I know everyone hears that, and I know people (men) say they understand, but the fact is I'm not sure anyone is prepared for what their body is about to undergo unless it's happened to them before. For me, I just never felt completely comfortable in my own skin while pregnant. I was like my co-worker; I felt huge and disgusting despite what (incredibly sweet) people told me. I wish I could have understood the magnitude of the miracle that was happening inside me (as cliché as that sounds, it's TRUE) because I would have said thank you and meant it. But all that said, having a reliable go-to outfit that makes you feel good is clutch while pregnant. I like this particular sweater because the soft white color is so pretty, especially for fall and winter, and the zipper detail on the sleeves adds an interesting touch. Plus, the sweater doesn't scream, "I'M KNOCKED UP," but subtly hugs your adorable (and yes, it really is adorable) belly.

9. Village Naturals Therapy Mineral Bath Soak -- Aches & Pains - Therapy mineral bath soak. Aches and pains. Need I say more? As a pregnant woman, you're probably experiencing way more aches and pains than you even knew your body could feel -- my hands even hurt sometimes. I'm a huge bath enthusiast but pregnancy took my love to an even higher level, and I'm pretty sure I was taking about 4-5 baths per week. These particular bath salts were amazing! Plus, the eucalyptus and spearmint fragrances were heavenly.

10. Uggs Tall Boots - Oh, Uggs. Poor, innocent, discriminated against Uggs. People either strongly hate these boots or strongly love them. Like a typical sorority girl (guilty as charged), I fall in the latter category, as my love for Uggs grew deep when I was a child and tried on my dad's pair (yes, Uggs make man boots, and yes, my dad was a trendsetter). Regardless of where your love/hate stands on the Uggs spectrum, I promise you, pregnant women of the world, your feet will thank you when you slip on a pair of these boots. They're like walking on clouds, people. Big, fluffy, puffy clouds that hug your sore swollen feet with love.

I had a pretty rough pregnancy, and I can't say I loved being pregnant -- BUT it had the best silver lining I could ever imagine. Sydney is absolutely the light of our lives, and I would go through unlimited amount of pregnancies again just to have her. Congratulations, mamas!! You're going through one hell of a wild ride, but the best is yet to come!

Month Two Favorites

Now that Syd's already seven months, I thought I'd try and catch up with my monthly favorites (so bear with me if there's a bunch of monthly favorite posts!) Here are 10 items that helped make Sydney's second month a little easier on us.

1. Aveeno Baby Eczema Therapy Moisturizing Cream - Colorado is notoriously dry especially during the winter, and Sydney's sweet little skin kept drying out even though we rarely bathed her (like mother, like daugher). I tried several different moisturizing creams before I found Aveeno, and I immediately fell in love -- her dry patches of skin immediately went away, and her skin became soft again. The lotion is affordable (especially compared to some of the other options out there), works quickly, and the best part is a little goes a long way. Because I was testing so many different brands, I bought the smallest tube of lotion available (5 oz, I believe) and I am still not even halfway through. Great, right? Note: the lotion is slightly 'stickier' than regular lotions and takes a while to get used to. I didn't like the way my hands felt after lotioning her up the first few times, but it's a small price to pay for smooth, soft baby skin. :-)

2. Gerber Unisex Onesies - I bought these onesies kind of by accident; Syd was already two weeks old and I realized I hadn't taken any of her monthly sticker pictures (I actually didn't even have the stickers to begin with---total mom fail), so once I ordered the stickers, I rushed to Target in search of plain white onesies. I went with Gerber because they were the least expensive (duly noting I'd find 'better' ones for the future monthly pictures), but I fell in love with them and they've become a staple in Sydney's wardrobe with every new size she grows into. They're much thinner material than any other onesies I've found, and they're slim-fitted, which make for the perfect undershirt for pajamas, hoodies, sweaters, etc.

3. Fisher Price Deluxe Bouncer - We have the Fisher Price My Little Snugabunny, but really any bouncer chair will be helpful. I like the one we have because it has a vibrating option and also plays music (both extras we regularly take full advantage of---still), and it's really nice the chair is lightweight enough to haul around wherever you may need it. We usually keep ours in our master bathroom so we have someplace safe to keep her while we're getting ready or showering. (Our bathroom is pretty big with a closed off room for the toilet, so it's not cramped [or unsanitary].) But Syd loves bouncy chairs; she loves to sit in them at daycare and at home, and if I could do it all over again, I definitely would have registered for two.

See? No where near the toilet. ;-)

Note: Please disregard the ugly tiling and the awful 'curtains.' Our bathroom needs to be updated, but unfortunately it's one of the last projects on our list.

4. Wine - Need I say more? Before I had a baby, I will fully admit I never understood why new moms didn't wanted to go out and drink. I wouldn't classify myself as a huge drinker or anything, but I mean, they gave up alcohol for 10 months -- didn't they want to let loose?? Then I had Sydney, and immediately I understood: breast milk is liquid gold. LEGIT. 'Pumping and dumping' is like going to your favorite expensive restaurant, buying your most favorite expensive meal and not eating a bite and throwing it all in the garbage. It's almost physically painful to see your hard-earned milk go to waste. Furthermore, who wants to take care of a tiny baby when hungover? So, it took me until Sydney was about 2-3 months old when I was finally producing enough breast milk that I felt confident I could pump and dump, or--at the very least--have a glass or two of wine. And it was glorious. (Except dumping 13 ounces of wasted breastmilk down the drain may quite possibly go down as the saddest day ever.)

5. Cloud B Sleep Sheep Sound Machine - Fortunately for us, Sydney didn't need a vacuum cleaner, dishwasher, running water, etc. in order to calm down or fall asleep (my tummy must have been fairly silent!), so the sound machine is used more to drown out any noise from downstairs after she's gone to bed than anything else. I looked at various sound machines and ultimately decided to give the Sleep Sheep a try because it's adorable and small (we have the travel on-the-go sheep) and had great reviews. I'm so pleased with our decision because it eliminates another baby contraption in her room/our house and easily carries with you when you travel. Plus, the sheep automatically turns off after a certain amount of time, which is a nice feature.

6. Motorola Remote Wireless Video Baby Monitor - We moved Sydney into her nursery much sooner than we planned because I came down with a bad case of the flu around Sydney's second month. I was initially a bit skeptical, but she ended up loving her crib and slept so much better in her own room. I, however, did not. I still remember the first night in her crib; I stared at the video monitor and couldn't believe how tiny she looked and worried if the monitor would pick up her tiny, soft sounds. "She's so quiet -- what if the monitor doesn't wake me?" HA! I worried for maybe a half-hour before realizing the monitor picks up every single sound. 

Although I think the video monitors you can see on your smartphone is a cool feature, stories like this and this absolutely FREAK. ME. OUT. I can't even think about those stories without shuddering in fear because it's so creepy -- especially the second story where the camera slowly turned to the dad. I would die if that happened to me! That story somehow reminds me of the weird doll from the Saw movies. AHH. Anyway, once I heard those stories I refused to get a Wi-Fi video monitor, so the Motorola monitor was a no-brainer. I have several girlfriends who have the exact same model and highly recommended I register for it, and I'm 110% completely satisfied with it. The picture is so clear (much more clear than any of the other monitors I tested out), the sound is great, and we've never run into any issues with the signal. I love it!

7. Baby Gap Sherpa Booties - These boots are the cutest! We had an unusually long and cold winter, so these little booties came in handy on way more than one occasion. [Side note: these boots still fit her currently, haha.] The boots are well made and very warm, but the best parts are they're easy to put on and take off and they stay put and don't fall off easily. I didn't realize how important those aspects are until recently when I discovered Sydney could shuffle her shoes off if she wants to.

8. Sassy Ring O'Links Rattle - These rings are great. Actually, ALL rings are great. We also have these, and I've found a mama can never have too many links lying around! Developmentally, rings are good for babies to hone their ability to grab, and the textured rings are also great for their sense of touch. Sydney loves playing with these rings, and they're everywhere -- in her car seat, in my diaper bag, in her bouncer, on her changing table, etc. etc.

9. Ikea Wire Basket - Prior to giving birth, I didn't have great feelings towards breastfeeding Sydney. I always knew I was going to try, but I didn't have high expectations for myself and definitely didn't feel pressured. To be completely honest, I didn't really want to; the thought of breastfeeding kind of made me uncomfortable. However, I knew it was best for the baby, so regardless of my thoughts, I knew I was going to at least try. In a very surprising and ironic twist, I actually very much loved breastfeeding and was determined to nurse Sydney and feed her breast milk as long as possible. I luckily was able to produce milk fairly easily, and before I knew it, I had built up quite a bit of stock and had to find a way to store the milk in our stand-up deep freezer. Ikea for the win! These wire baskets are actually not the baskets I used (they actually look way better than mine, ha), but I used something similar from Ikea that did the trick. They're super cheap (you don't need anything fancy), and they worked really well.

10. Skip Hop Treetop Friends Activity Gym - I suppose I could have started using this sooner than Sydney's second month, but I think I was too busy snuggling her in month one. ;-) Activity gyms are really great, and we used ours much more than I anticipated. The Skip Hop Treetop had really great reviews, so we chose that one -- but honestly, like bouncy chairs, any activity gym will do. The amount of hours Sydney has spent on that mat are immeasurable, and it was really fun to see her develop and learn how to play with the hanging toys. I liked this gym in particular because the all the toys had different functions that would keep Sydney busy and interacting.

Hope you enjoyed! Good luck with month two...the fun is just beginning! :-)

Month One Favorites

To follow up my list of favorite items during the newborn stage, I thought I'd start making posts of my favorite items at all the baby stages - partly to help out new mamas and, not going to lie, partly to help jog my memory come Baby Anderson #2 (not happening anytime soon).

1. Animal Alphabet Thank You Cards - People LOVE giving baby gifts. I don't know if it's because buying baby items is so fun (everything's so little!) or if it's because fellow parents realize how much work (and money) it is to have a baby, but regardless, mamas-to-be and new mamas, prepare to get spoiled. I bought bulk baby thank you cards for my baby shower and realized how convenient they were to have laying around the house, as we received countless gifts even after my shower. Heck, six months later, we're still receiving gifts for little Syd! And if there's one thing my own mom raised me to do is to ALWAYS SEND THANK YOU CARDS. (People who know my mom are definitely laughing right now.)

2. Carters Microfleece Sleepers - Okay, I will fully admit to sometimes over-dressing Sydney. I mean, do you know how many adorable clothes and accessories there are out there for girls?? It's so hard not to -- let's be honest, every day she goes to daycare in like a five-piece ensemble. But when she was a newborn baby, I let her be a newborn baby. I never dressed her in anything that wasn't soft, comfortable and easy-to-wear. I was a new mom and she was this tiny, fragile living doll, and I wanted her to be as comfortable as possible. These sleepers were my everyday and every night go-tos because they're soft, easy to put on and super affordable.

3. Keekaroo Peanut Changer and Munchkin Waterproof Changing Pad Liners - These two go hand-in-hand (at least in my book). The peanut changer was fairly new to the baby scene when I got pregnant, and a bunch of my girlfriends who had recently had babies RAVED about them. I was initially skeptical because they weren't that cute, they didn't have many color choices, and were they really THAT much better than a regular changing pad? I finally caved after hearing how these moms couldn't live life without theirs, and now I totally agree. We didn't change Sydney on the changing table very much when she was a newborn (she was so tiny!), but after about a month we started using it and have never looked back. Simply put, moms love this changer because it's so dang easy to clean. The only negative feedback I read was that it can sometimes be cold on your baby's skin, so we got Munchkin Waterproof Changing Pad Liners, and they work like a charm. Plus, they're pretty inexpensive and easy to clean up as well.

4. iBaby Feed Timer App - This app is AWESOME. I initially registered for some baby feed/sleep handheld electronic thing, and I'm so glad a girlfriend told me I wouldn't need it because I can't imagine lugging something else around just to keep track of her eating/sleeping/diaper schedule. This app has it all - it monitors how long you breastfeed, tracks how many ounces of bottles you give, measures how long between feedings, etc. You can also log your baby's dirty diapers, sleep patterns, solid foods intake and even your pumping schedule. The best part is that it analyzes the data for you, so when your pediatrician asks how long she's nursing on each breast and how long between feedings, you can give your answer with confidence. :-)

UPDATE: Apparently it's only for iPhones and iPads...womp womp. Sorry, Android and Tablet users!

5. Carters Sherpa Hooded Bunting - With Sydney's due date at the beginning of February, I knew a bunting would be a must-have but couldn't make up my mind which one I wanted to get (shocker). One day we were browsing through Carters and suddenly my husband walked up to me with a little pink bear suit in his hand. He so matter-of-factly picked out a snowsuit to bring her home in, and I couldn't bear to tell him I was already leaning towards a few others. It was so tiny and adorable in his hand, and he was so proud of himself! And you know what? It was the least expensive option, and Sydney loved it. She stayed cozy and warm in the suit and always slept SO WELL when she had it on. Because Syd stayed pretty small and because winter in Colorado lasted a little longer, she actually wore it home from the hospital and all the way through three months. Did I mention it's super adorable?? I mean, look. She was a little stuffed animal.

SEE?!?

6. Babyganics Foaming Hand Sanitizer - These are everywhere in our house (still). Baby is in its first month alive - need I say more? Actually, I have a love-hate relationship with this hand sanitizer. I love it because it's non-toxic and totally safe to use to immediately handle your baby right after, but a major con to me is that because it's so safe and non-toxic, it doesn't contain any alcohol (which is what makes your hands dry so quick after applying). So, it's a little wet and you kind of feel like you have to dry your hands off on a towel, but don't worry - you'll get used to it fast because you'll use this all. the. time.

7. Bubba Envy Tumbler - I'm sure you're sick of hearing your doctor and nurses tell you to drink water by now, but honestly I can't emphasize enough how major drinking water plays in maintaining your milk supply (if you're breastfeeding!). Drinking water used to be such a chore for me; I would always forget, and when I would remember, I would always want something else to drink. I started swelling in my 37th week and suddenly I became psychotic with drinking water to try and keep the swelling down. I've always been like the little girl in the movie "Signs" that leaves glasses of water all over the house, and finally it started paying off with my new water addiction. But that wasn't enough, so I started chugging 2-3 glasses of water right when I woke up in the morning so I could get a good head start on the day; before I drove anywhere (anywhere - even for the five minute drive to the grocery store), I would stock my car with at least three bottles of water; I started using big plastic tumblers to drink out of...until that came to a screeching halt when I spilled my entire glass all over my nightstand four of five nights in a row. So I finally bought the Bubba tumbler, which I had heard about before, and I loved it. Finally - a big glass for my water that kept it cold without condensation dripping everywhere, it was pink and cute, and I liked the straw. And, it didn't spill when I knocked it over.

8. Johnson's Baby Hand & Face Wipes - These are pretty great. They're soft and gentle on your baby's face and so handy to have in your diaper bag, on your changing table, in the kitchen, etc. I bought these on a whim during a weekly routine Target visit in the weeks leading up to Syd's arrival, and I kind of thought maybe it was something I should put back because they were probably going to go unused... WRONG. We used these (and still use these) all the time - for Sydney's dried milk mustaches, when she would spill down her neck, etc.

9. Gerber Long-Sleeve Side-Snap Bodysuits - When I finally decided to change Sydney out of her pajamas, I still wanted something comfortable to put her in. I liked these Gerber bodysuits because they fit well and didn't have a lot of extra material, but I especially liked them because of their side-snap feature (helps keep the belly button free of irritation), easy to put on and the built-in 'mittens'.

10. Medela Quick Clean Micro-Steam Bags - THESE THINGS WERE LIFESAVERS. As I've mentioned before, I don't like a lot of clutter, especially on my countertops, so while I originally registered for a sterilizer, I'm glad I didn't get one because it would've meant one more item I would've had to leave out on our counters. Anyway, yes, you can sterilize the old fashioned way by boiling water--and we did sometimes when we had lot of bottles built up--but for the most part, I didn't have time to wait for a huge pot of water to boil. These sterilizing bags changed everything for us; all you do is fill the bag up with whatever you need to sterilize (bottles, nipples, pump parts, pacifiers, etc.), fill the bag with two ounces of water, pop the bag in the microwave for 1.5-3 minutes, and voila! You're done. Amazing.

Hope you enjoyed!

End note: Please know my month-by-month favorites usually don't include baby staples like crib, car seat, stroller, etc., nor are any of these posts sponsored. These are just the items we found to be especially helpful during those times and wanted to share. :-)

Newborn Favorites

I'm clearly, by all means, NOT a baby expert; however, I've been getting some questions lately about my favorite baby products, so I thought it may be helpful to new mamas to round out a brief list. In no particular order, here are my favorite newborn items I found to really like and/or be extremely helpful with Sydney.

1. First Impressions Dot Blanket - I received this blanket as a gift from my baby shower, and it is the softest blanket I've ever felt. It's so warm and cozy that it was an easy choice to bring with to the hospital, and it's now Sydney's favorite blanket, hands-down. Even now at six months, I can wrap her in the blanket and she'll nuzzle in and fall asleep within minutes. The most ironic part of this gift is that I didn't have it on my registry, and the woman who gave it to me asked my mom for permission to go off the registry before purchasing. Well done, Ms. Christensen!

2. Philips Avent Soothie Pacifiers - The rumors are true; these pacifiers are the shit. For whatever reason, babies seem to gravitate towards these guys and Sydney was no different. We especially liked how you can put your finger in the nook, so it was like she was sucking on our fingers (but without the germs). :-)

3. Pottery Barn Nursery Snow Leopard Bath Wrap - We didn't give Sydney that many baths when she was a newborn, but when we did I always wrapped her in this particular bath wrap because it was so soft and cuddly (not to mention adorable). Sydney HATED getting out of the bath because of the cool air, but she always calmed down immediately once we wrapped her in this. Six months later, she still loves it.

4. aden + anais Bamboo Burpy Bib - I stocked up on burp cloths prior to Sydney's arrival thanks to my sister-in-law's advice, and I got all different kinds, sizes, brands, etc. The majority of burp cloths I got were aden + anais partly because I had heard such rave reviews and partly because I thought they were the cutest. Luckily, they turned out to be one of my favorite baby items of all, especially the bamboo ones. Because of their quality, they lay flat and the ends don't curl up like the Gerber and Carters ones from Target, and because of the snaps built into the design, they double as a bib, making your diaper bag just a tiny less heavy (hey, it all adds up). They're lightweight, super soft and big (I'm not a fan of the small burp cloths - what's the point?).

5. Burt's Bees Baby Bee Calming Lotion - Confession time: I chose to go with Burt's Bees products solely because they smelled the best. I mean, I did all the research, but simply put all the baby-specified hygiene brands (Burt's Bees Baby Bee, Johnson & Johnson Baby, Aveeno Baby, The Honest Company, etc.) are pretty great and come highly recommended. I knew I didn't want to do anything too organic or natural (aka expensive) because I kind of had a hunch this kid wouldn't have uber-sensitive skin and would do alright with the mainstream brands - and I was right: Sydney was perfectly fine with her Burt's Bees. She's also perfectly fine with Johnson & Johnson, California Baby, Aveeno Baby and The Honest Company, so why go with the most expensive? Anyway, Burt's Bees Calming Shampoo & Body Wash and Lotion smell SO GOOD, and I feel like the scent stays with Syd longer than the other brands (which is important when she's just had an extremely dirty diaper).

6. Boon Lawn Countertop Drying Rack - Even before I got pregnant I knew I was going to get this (kind of like the Bumbo chair, ha!) because it's so cute, but to be honest, the other drying racks are just ugly (are you noticing a trend here?). I'm not a fan of clutter (I know, some of my pictures speak the complete opposite...), so I felt if I had to leave something on my counter for her bottles to dry, it might as well be cute, right? Plus, you can get all these accessories for it like a flower, twig, butterfly, etc. We opted to go with the Lawn rather than the Grass because of its size (Lawn is bigger) because when you need to wash this many bottles/pump parts/nipples, etc., you'll be glad you splurged for the bigger size.

Ugh.

We actually ended up getting a Grass in addition to the Lawn because...well...

7. Gilligan & O'Malley for Target Nursing Bra & Cami - I made the (major) mistake of not getting ANY nursing bras or tank tops prior to Sydney's arrival. I have no idea what I was thinking (or not thinking apparently), but I was in a real bind come February 4th when I was let out from the hospital and it was no longer acceptable to wear just a robe all day. Gilligan & O'Malley for Target came highly recommended from a few girlfriends who advised me not to waste money on expensive nursing apparel until I had a better understanding of my needs - GREAT advice. Turns out these nursing bras were the only bras I needed; they're soft, comfortable and easy to 'use.' The nursing cami is also great; I was getting frustrated because for the longest time I only found nursing tanks that were super tight and fitted (and hello, who wants to wear spandex right after you've given birth?), so when I discovered these, I can't even tell you how happy I was.

8. Baby Gap Favorite Knot Hat - Sydney was born in the middle of winter in Colorado, so hats were a staple in her newborn wardrobe. We loved the hats from Baby Gap because they were so--you guessed it--soft and easy to slip on her tiny head. There are very few pictures of Sydney's first couple of weeks without her wearing a hat. :-)

9. Boppy Newborn Lounger - I'm probably alone in saying this, but I found the Boppy pillow to be fairly useless. We (I) never used ours, and it just took up space in our living room. The Boppy Lounger, however...that was a different story. I didn't even know these things existed until our friends gifted us with one, and just as I can't imagine a life without Chipotle or coffee & Baileys, I can't imagine a life with a newborn without the Boppy Lounger. We used it all. the. time.

Sydney resting on her Boppy Lounger, getting her first taste of bitter disappointment watching the Broncos blow the Super Bowl

10. Halo SleepSack Microfleece Swaddle - This was another gift that I can't imagine life with a newborn without. Sydney broke free of all her blanket swaddles and would wake herself up by waving her arms around, so I quickly gave up swaddling her with blankets and turned to this fuzzy contraption. This thing is AMAZING. Thanks to this cozy, warm little straight jacket, Jordan and I have had one, maybe two, sleepless nights since she's been born (yes, seriously). That's not to say Sydney didn't try and fight us a few times when we were putting it on, but once it was, she immediately quieted down and was out like a light.

Hope this list is helpful for all the new mamas out there! I'll post more of our favorites later as well. :-)

Favorites can also be found here.