Baby Gear Favorites

Baby Gear 

As we creep up on Jellybean's six month anniversary, I look around and can't believe how much STUFF I've amassed in such a short period of time. Do I really need all this stuff? Probably not! I'm a sucker for Amazon and those reviews are extra enticing. However, there are quite a few things that I'm so glad we bought because they have done wonders for keeping my little man happy and smiling. I'm sure first time moms all go crazy buying everything in sight and then scale it back considerably for baby #2, 3, 4..... etc. 

Britax Car seat/Stroller 

I'm not gonna lie, I was drawn to this set because it came in Seahawks green! Well, first I searched Stroller/Car seat combos and this had the best review, but then I saw the color options and I was sold! I really don't have any complaints here. Jellybean seems really comfortable in his car seat and the stroller folds up so easily! It's pretty compact and lightweight and I can open/close it with one hand while holding Jellybean in the other. There aren't any cup holders and the storage space underneath is pretty small, so if I had to nitpick, those would be my biggest issues. But I can't really complain about a system that came to me completely put together so I could literally just take it out of the box and it was good to go. 

Schwinn Tourismo Jogging Stroller

When we decided I would be going to D.C. to finish out my maternity leave, we bought another stroller off Amazon. This time, we opted for a jogging stroller since I really wanted to run with Jellybean. Instead of splurging on the most expensive and *best* one, we went middle of the road for price that still had good reviews. And of course, we stuck to the green theme, although this one isn't quite Seahawks green. I have NO IDEA why this one isn't listed as the best jogging stroller out there! It moves so easily, has tons of cup holders, lots of storage space, and built in speakers that you can plug your music device into. The tires need to be inflated when you put it together, but their large size and durability make it a really easy "off roading" stroller. The only con I can think of is that it doesn't fold up as nicely/easily as the Britax, but it's also much bigger. This didn't come already assembled either, but that was Matt's job so, still no complaints on this end. 

My Pal Al

Apparently this crocodile's name is Al. Matt decided his name is Geoff, so that's what we call him. At daycare, this is Jellybean's favorite toy. They would lay it across his body and he'd practice grasping at Geoff's limbs. Naturally, I had to buy one for the house. Whenever Jellybean is laying on the play matt or in his Pack N Play, he's normally messing around with Geoff too. 

Bumbo

Our Seahawks green Bumbo was a gift from a really good friend of mine, Jellybean's Aunty Smelly. She's deployed right now, and even though she's off in Afghanistan, she still sends her little nephew presents! This has been a Godsend for my little family. When I come home from work, there are a few tasks that I absolutely need to just get done, not to mention, make and eat dinner before it gets too late. Before the Bumbo came into our lives, I would use the Jumperoo for a short period and then move him to the Pack N Play. On some days, Jellybean just wasn't going to have any of that and I'd have to listen to him fuss while I took care of chores in the kitchen. Now, I put him in the Bumbo in the kitchen, and as long as I get my chores done while making obnoxious noises and grand gestures, little man is happy and smiling. 

Fisher Price Jumperoo 

If he could, Jellybean would stay in this thing for HOURS. But, because I don't want it to affect the natural development of his legs, I don't keep him in it for more than 30 minutes a day. He absolutely loves sitting in his jumperoo, and he refines his dexterity, he applies those changes to the various toys in front of him. This is hands done his favorite toy. 

Sophie the Giraffe 

I have no idea why babies love this thing. It is so expensive! So I had Dad buy it for us. But seriously- $35 for a teether? It seemed kind of ridiculous to me, but the second I gave this to Jellybean, he went to town like I had never seen him do with any of his other teethers. Whatever your magic is Sophie, it's working because my kiddo loves you. 

Pack N Play 

My good friend Christina bought us a Pack N Play as a baby shower gift. This has been such a useful little gadget. When Jellybean was an infant, we'd use the infant bassinet daily. Now that he's grown tenfold, we don't use the infant pieces anymore. My little man goes to bed at 2000 every night and I stay up for another few hours to finish chores/relax for the night. Because the nursery is upstairs and we don't use the upstairs AC to keep the electricity bill down, Jellybean sleeps in his Pack N Play every night until I'm ready to go to bed. I just put him on his back, he immediately rolls onto his tummy, puts the thumb in his mouth, and he's knocked out in minutes!