It never ceases to amaze me how a tiny little person can require SO. MUCH. GEAR. Every mom has her own list of "must have" items that she couldn't live without in raising up a little one, but over time, those lifesaving items are easy to forget. So, while it's still fresh on my mind, I want to record the top ten must-have items for my first year as a mom. These "things" in no way compare to the amazing husband and family I am blessed to have helping me raise up my boy, but they certainly have their own special place in my heart (and my home) as a really useful item. In no particular order, these items include:
1. EvenFlo Exer-Saucer Circus
Any mom who has a crawler needs something to "contain" her little speed-racer so she can just get in the shower. Our circus exersaucer was a hand-me-down from my sister who also swore by it, and it entertained Sam every morning Michael was out of town while I finished getting ready for work. I would turn on Sprout's Wiggly Waffle morning show, and he would be good to go for 20-30 minutes, just enough time for me to be ready to walk out the door.
2. Fisher Price 2-in-1 projector
We had a rough start in our house when it came to sleeping. He slept in his bassinet in our room for...one night. We tried the papasan chair. We tried the swing. We tried holding him. We tried everything. By the first weekend, we made a decision to try the "cry it out" method in his crib. I went and bought this mobile at the recommendation of another mom in the store, and it worked great. Plays heartbeats, nature sounds and music for twenty minutes. Projects images onto the canopy, which can be removed later and projected on the ceiling as baby's vision develops. Oh, and did I mention it has a remote, so you can restart it without having to walk in the room and be spotted? He still loves it, and we use it every night!
3. Backseat mirror
Since his car seat had to be rear-facing for the first year, I couldn't see him just by looking back. I don't know what I would have done without this little mirror that hung on the backseat head rest and allowed me to see my little man in the car just by looking in the rear view mirror.
4. Temporal Scan Thermometer
Given to me by a veteran mom, I cannot give enough praise for this item! It's accuracy is amazing, and taking Sam's temperature is a snap. Case in point: Amanda has loaded up her sick boy in the car to come to my house and take his temperature with our thermometer. Including the car ride, she still got a temp read faster than she would have with her thermometer. Well worth the money and can be used by the whole family without having to wonder "where that has been."
5. Desitin in a tub
Gifted to me by my super-mom sister, I am still using the last bit of this tub and Sam will be a year old in just days. I put Desitin on him every night before bed just to prevent diaper rash overnight. When he does actually get diaper rash, I switch to Boudreau's because Desitin burns a rash. This tub is so much easier than always fighting and squeezing at a tube, and lasts for so long.
6. Bright Starts Play Gym with Singing Bee
When Sam was first born, we put the sides up and turned the bee on to sing, and he would take his morning nap in his play gym. When he got a little bigger, he would bat and swing at the hanging toys. Now, he and Daddy wrestle around and build forts by draping his bath towel over the bars. This play gym has earned its keep in our house.
7. Sprout TV
We love Sprout at our house. Sam went through a phase where he could be mid-fit and Caillou came on tv and turned his whole attitude around. He isn't interested in tv at all unless it's Sprout. Now he seems to really like Fireman Sam which is also a Sprout show. Oh, and he has a crush on Nina the hostess on The Goodnight Show.
8. Thirty-One All-in-One Organizer Bag
Another gift from my sweet sister, this bag is everything a mom could want in a diaper bag. Just the right size. Not too big, not too small. Seven pockets on the outside for easy access to all your things. Makes a great baby shower gift (and I have given several now) for mom's-to-be.
9. Suction bulb from the hospital
When it comes to "nose suckers" all bulbs are NOT created equal. At the hospital, we were given this green medical grade suction bulb, and it is the Mercedes of suction bulbs. My sister has offered to pay the deductible for my having another baby at MTMC just so she can have the nose sucker. A-mazing. It may seem strange to get so excited about a suction bulb, but the first year contains a lot of snotty noses. Michael always says, "Using good tools makes every job easier."
10. Duck tub
I've posted about this tub before and how much we love it. As soon as Sam could sit up, we switched to this tub and still use it every night. It's very soft, but has a non-slip surface so Sam doesn't slide around or slip at all. It runs just the right about of water for us to play bubbles and bath toys, but we don't have to fill up the whole tub.
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