Five Favorites (vol. 2)

Welcome to this week's five favorite featuring my most beloved baby items!

1.

Aden + Anais Swaddle Blanket 

We loveloveLOVE these cute swaddle blankets, although I think I've only used them for swaddling 1-2 times.  The material is thin-yet-strong, lightweight-yet-warm, and oh-so-soft.  I always have one stashed in my diaper bag to use as a light little wrap, nursing cover, or to lay on the ground for Silas to use for tummy time.  We rarely leave the house without one draped over his little legs, because I want to keep the sun off of him, but don't want a big hot blanket on top of him.  I've also used these for very random uses, such as a stroller cover for shading him and perhaps even a burp rag when I forgot one (a girl's gotta improvise!)

2. 

Summer SwaddleMe

Speaking of swaddling, we use ours every night!  Silas loves having his hands up by his face when he sleeps, but we very quickly realized (aka: in the hospital) that if we don't swaddle him at night, he wakes himself up by smacking himself across the face.  Not a very pleasant wake-up call.  Because it's summertime, we've used the lightweight versions and love how breathable they are.  Also, I'm awful at using blankets to swaddle, so the velcro is helpful in making sure he stays tight in his little baby straightjacket/potato sack all night!  

3.

Fisher-Price Cradle Swing

It is so hard for me to believe he was this little!

We found this at the garage sale and in full disclosure, I wasn't so convinced at first.  The lady running the garage sale was a little bit too interested in our lives and a lot too pushy about how much we had to have this swing and how good of a deal it was and how she knows it will sell fast and how it's hardly been used.  I was overwhelmed and told Brandon we could buy it if he wanted.  He did. and now I feel grateful for pushy lady because Silas sleeps soundly in his almost every afternoon.  He definitely sleeps longer and seemingly more soundly than if I put him in his crib for the afternoon snooze.  

Some perks to this swing are that it can go side to side or back and forth, is has a cute little mobile (Silas will just stare and stare at the stars spinning around), lighted stars that dance on the fabric sides, and 7 different music settings.  Also, it plugs into the wall so no batteries (we'd go through a pack a week, I'm sure!)

4. 

Boppy Pillow

Every nursing mother needs one. seriously.  This pillow was brought to the hospital with us and there has not been a day that has gone by that I haven't used it in some way.  I don't use it for every feeding like I used to, but during late night and early morning feedings when I'm feeling like my eyelids won't stay open, I feel a lot safer using a boppy than trying to hold him up.  We even bring this thing when we travel, and I've used it everywhere from sitting on the ground to feeding him in the car.  We have two different slipcovers so that when he gets his baby juice all over one, we don't have to worry about washing it that very minute.  Praise the woman who invented the Boppy! (because only a woman would invent something so perfect for breastfeeding, right?!)

5. 

Cloth Diapers

So I'm most definitely not a pro yet, and we're still trying to get down some of the "logistics of cloth diapering," but for 95.5% of his life he's been in CD (cloth diapers.)  I really prefer them over disposable and now when we have to use them (ie: when away from home for more than one night) I really miss them.  We use Fuzzibunz mostly (pictured above) but were gifted some bumgenius and I like those too.  Besides saving us moolah, producing less trash, and helping us avoid major blow-outs, I just think these little things are so cute on his little bum!

Check out more Five Favs from Hallie and others over at Moxie Wife!