Thursday, June 21, 2012

My Favorite Things: Baby Products

Going to Babies R Us can be overwhelming when you are expecting. They have so many different baby items and you don't know what you will need. This post is for my cousin who is having her first baby in November. 

Munchkin Fresh Food Feeder 2 Pack ,Colors May Vary
Munchkin Fresh Food Feeder 2 Pack ,Colors May Vary
I used these to put ice chips in when my baby was teething. You can also put frozen banana chips and other foods but they are hard to clean out afterwards.

Fisher-Price My Little Snugabunny Cradle 'n Swing
Fisher-Price My Little Snugabunny Cradle 'n Swing
This particular swing comes with the option to use batteries or power cord. It also switches swinging directions from front to back and side to side.

Fisher-Price Rainforest Melodies and Lights Deluxe Gym
Fisher-Price Rainforest Melodies and Lights Deluxe Gym
We used this toy multiple times a day for the first 6 months. It had fun lights and music and was nice to use for tummy time. It also folds flat so it can be stored under a bed.


Gerber 12-Pack Prefold Birdseye 3-Ply Cloth Diapers - White









Gerber 12-Pack Prefold Birdseye 3-Ply Cloth Diapers - White
I used these cloth diapers to make cute burp cloths.


Graco Sweet Slumber Sound Machine, White
Graco Sweet Slumber Sound Machine, White
Some babies are simply more sensitive to noise than others. If you have loud neighbors, a dog that likes to bark or have a love of surround sound this is a must.

Nosefrida The Snotsucker Nasal Aspirator
Nosefrida The Snotsucker Nasal Aspirator
This looks completely disgusting, but I promise your little babies snot will never touch your lips and the suction is much more powerful and continuous than a traditional aspirator. You do not need the baby medical kits they sell. All you need are a baby brush, nail clippers, thermometer and an aspirator. Don't waste your money on the extras.


Aquaphor Baby Healing Ointment, Advanced Therapy, 14 Ounces (396 g) (Pack of 2)
Baby Healing Ointment, Advanced Therapy, 14 Ounces (396 g) (Pack of 2)
This is the best baby lotion ever! Use Aquaphor on little bums or drool covered chins to protect them from irritation. It can be a bit greasy but it works wonders on chapped skin.

Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child
Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child
This is the book my pediatrician recommended. Read it before you have the baby as it is a bit tough to get through when you are sleep deprived.

The Happiest Baby on the Block: The New Way to Calm Crying and Help Your Newborn Baby Sleep Longer
The Happiest Baby on the Block
This book has some nice reminders on how to soothe your baby.

Kirkland Signature™  Baby Wipes
Costco Kirkland brand baby wipes are great. They are unscented and come in bulk so you will never  make midnight runs for more wipes.

Kirkland Signature™ Supreme Diapers Size 3; Quantity: 212
Kirkland brand diapers at Costco are interchangeable with Huggies. I usually buy whichever brand has a coupon. I have also tried LUVS (Had a funny smell and always seemed kind of wet) and did not like them.

Random Suggestions:
Blackout Curtains-When decorating your nursery purchase blackout curtains instead of a cute valance. If your baby has sleep issues these will be a lifesaver and easier to install before the baby comes.
Target Brand-I use Target brand baby acetaminophen and gas drops. They work great and are tons cheaper. Take the safety seals off all products before baby arrives so they will be ready when you need to use them in the middle of the night.
Borrow-See what baby items you can borrow from friends or family. Something that was a lifesaver for me might be nonessential to you.
Thrift-Many of these items can be found in great shape at garage sales and places like craigslist. In my experience I found Babies R Us to be more expensive that everywhere else. Make sure you shop around and make use of programs like Walmart.com's site to store or .99 shipping.
Laundry-Purchase Zote Soap, I was able to find some at Big Lots!

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Recipe Resolution: Dutch Baby Pancakes with Berry Sauce




These pancakes were a breeze to make and simply scrumptious. They are a less "eggy" version of German pancakes. I used frozen triple berry mix from Costco and Simply fruit jam to make the sauce.

Friday, February 10, 2012

Valentine's Day Books

Treat your children to some of these darling books on Valentine's Day. 

Snuggle Puppy (Boynton on Board)




Recipe Resolution: Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos

One of my resolutions for 2012 is to try one recipe a week for the next two months. I have been in a food rut lately and I want to explore some new things. My first recipe trial was a success. I made Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos. I followed the recipe exactly. I used taco sized flour tortillas and about two tablespoons of filling per tortilla. I made about 16 taquitos. They are apparently freezable so I am going to try and make a batch for the freezer.


 I made Lime Cilantro Rice without the pineapple as a side dish. Creamy Lime Cilantro Dressing made a tasty dipping sauce.

This recipe is a definite repeat and was a good start to my New Years resolution.

Saturday, January 21, 2012

Valance

I still need to fix the pleats but I thought I would post it anyway.  This is the valance I made for our spare room.


This fabric from Hobby Lobby won me over, I couldn't resist!  

Friday, January 13, 2012

Refinished side Table

For the last couple of weeks my husband and I have been working on our spare bedroom.  Just so you don't think we are being lazy posters, I will post a before and after of a night stand I have been working on!


Before

After

My mom tried convincing me all summer long to paint my spare room furniture hot pink.  I finally caved and did it!  I love it, the bed still needs to be painted so stay tuned for that!
..

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Party DIY Shoes!

Before
 I have seen all these spray painted shoes on blogs and I decided to give it a try with some old shoes I had that I never wore, but still fit.

It was so easy!  I used primer first, then I went for it!  It only takes a few coats.

I made some big black bows for a final touch.  Now I have brand new shoes for New Year's at the cost of nothing!
after

What do you think?