Sweet dreams....

Last night, for the very first time, Brady slept for 6 hours straight at night!  After his feeding, I changed his diaper, put him in his jammies, swaddled him, said prayers, and placed him in his swinger! He slept from 9 pm-3 am!!  I was so happy! And, mamas out there...no judging because my baby isn't sleeping in his crib yet! My babe likes to be inclined in his swinger for now. And that's okay!       

Favorite baby items

Being a new mama, there are a few baby items that helped me get through these first two months with a wee one.  Here is a list of some of my favorite items to have for a newborn:



1. Summer Infant SwaddleMe

Brady absolutely loves to be swaddled in this!  We only use this at night.  The SwaddleMe gives Brady a tight, secure, and snug swaddle where he can't break free. Plus, he looks absolutely adorable all swaddled up!  Almost like a little glow worm! Now, I just need to remember to snap a picture of him in it!


2. aden and anais blankets

One word to describe these blankets: amazingness!  I love these blankets!  I have heard so many people rave about these blankets, and the hype is true! These blankets serve a multitude of purposes!  We initially swaddled Brady in these blankets, but he soon was able to break free from them and we had to switch to the SwaddleMe.  But these blankets make great swaddles.  They are big and stretchy, yet soft and comfortable. You can fold and stretch the fabric to get a really good swaddle! I love that the fabric can keep Brady warm without overheating him.  I also use these blankets to put over Brady's car seat when we are out in public to keep him protected from germs, nosy people, sunlight, wind, etc.  I also use these blankets as a cover up while nursing.  I think they work better than the actual nursing covers that are sold in stores.  I will sometimes put these blankets on the floor for Brady's tummy time too.  Seriously, I love these blankets and they can really be used for anything!

3. Zip up sleep and plays

There is nothing more difficult to do than to button up a bunch of tiny buttons at 3 am after a diaper change while you are half awake, eyes barely open, and you are hardly functioning!  I like to buy sleep and play pajamas that have zippers because it's easy!  Brady squirms and cries a lot during diaper changes, so having a zipper makes it simple for me to get him clothed and quickly into my arms!

4.  BabyBjorn baby carrier

Genius invention, this thing is! I tried the Moby Wrap, but Brady hated being carried in it and would cry and scream.  He much rather preferred the Bjorn.  Plus, this is much easier to strap on and put baby in.  Seriously, I could make curtains for all the windows in my house with the fabric from the Moby Wrap!  Not a fan of the Wrap at all!  But, I do love the Bjorn!  Brady loves to be held, and this is the only way I can get things done!  The hubby also loves to hold Brady in the Bjorn too!  I have proof:

5. AVENT BPA Free bottles

I prefer to use these bottles  They have very few pieces and it really helps to trap the air and prevent my Brady from getting too gassy. Plus, these do not leak.  I have tried Playtex, Dr. Brown, BornFree, Similac, and Medela Bottles (I got lots of free samples!), and I really like AVENT the best.

6. Gripe Water

My sweet Brady can be a little fussy at times and the gripe water really helps calm him.  I also like to use this for gas, hiccups, and spit-ups. I like that it is just ginger and fennel and not a bunch of chemicals. Brady loves when we give it to him.  It's like he knows that it helps settle his stomach.

7. Fisher-Price Baby Swing

This is a hand-me-down from my younger sister who used this swinger with her little girl.  

I love this swing simply for the fact that I can place Brady in it without him crying or fussing!  It plays music and the birdies spin around in circles...it keeps my bear entertained and sometimes can put him to sleep!  Score!

8.  Boppy Infant and Toddler Head Support

I noticed that Brady's head would fall over to one side whenever I put him in his carseat, and I did not like that one bit! I purchased this head support and it keeps Brady's head upright. 

9. Pandora:  Heavenly Lullabyes station

My little cub likes music to help him sleep!  And Heavenly Lullabyes is, well, heavenly! Soft, calm, soothing musics...who wouldn't want to fall asleep to these tunes!  

10. Burp Cloths made by Aunt Dolores

Mike's Aunt Dolores made these awesome burp cloths and sent them to us!  We love them!  She sent us 10 different ones and we use them all the time!  Brady likes to spit up on us, so these come in handy!  They are the perfect shape and size, and will sit perfectly on the shoulder without falling. 

And these are some of my favorite things that I have used with Brady!  

sunshine

Despite the colder temperatures this past week, the main thing that I love about living in the South is the weather.  I love the look of a sunny, blue sky; the feel of the hot sun hitting my face; and the ability to play outside in the warmth!  And living in the South, warm, sunny weather is pretty much guaranteed all year long!  I even love the hot, hot, hot 105 degree summer temps!  I would much rather prefer to spend a summer in the Texas heat than go through a miserable winter.  I lived in Michigan with my husband for a year and a half after we were married.  I love Michigan and it is a beautiful state, but this southern girl did not handle the cold, gray, dreary fall and winter days! 

But don't get me wrong...I do not hate the snow and the cold!  I love a beautiful, serene, snow-covered, wintery scene; I enjoy ski vacations; I love cold days where I can snuggle up on the couch with a warm blanket and some hot chocolate. One of my favorite vacations was when Mike and I hiked through the snow in Bryce Canyon in Utah.  It was so cold and wet, yet the white covered hoo doos and trails were so beautiful.  The canyon was so quiet and peaceful.  The great thing about this snowy, cold vacation was that I got to return back to hot, sunny Texas!  So, I love visiting places like this, but I just can't imagine myself living there. I like sunshine all year long and the ability to wear shorts and flip-flops for the majority of the year!

So, on this early of  March day, when the midwest is going through this...

I have my baby in a stroller, walking the parks, enjoying the blue skies and 75 degree weather, all while sporting my fancy jogging shorts and running shoes!  This girl loves the sunshine!

Happy Monday!