Despite reading websites, books and talking to mom friends, I was SO clueless about what to buy for my baby. Looking back I see that many purchases that books said you had to have were completely useless. For what it's worth, here's a list of some of the best purchases we made as parents. Some are pricey, some are cheaper. What do y'all think is your best buy?
1. Jeep Jogger Stroller
I do not jog/run/sprint. Ever. But I walk a lot (except during summer) in the mornings with my son. This stroller has held up very well. I started putting O'Ryan in it at 2 months old and it was really comfortable for him. It reclines, has great storage and has a place for your iPod to plug into!! There's speakers for you and your baby. Me being a person who doesn't like to have headphones on while walking (dangerous!), this was a perfect stroller.
2. Britax Car Seat
I researched car seats a lot when it came time to move O out of the infant carrier. We made the move earlier than most - 8 months or so. He just got too heavy to carry around and WAY too long. There is no question in my mind that Britax is the best. It's extremely safe and well-built. Pricey - yes! Worth it - very!
3. iPad
This purchase was actually made for me last year for my birthday, but it has proved to be EXCELLENT for toddlers. The iPad has so many uses... During flights, long car rides, dreadful waiting rooms, to help your little one to fall asleep in a new place. I could go on and on. You may not want to entertain your toddler or kid with games, shows, etc. but I DO when needed! It's saved me from several break downs on airplanes while traveling alone with my son.
4. Push Car
BEST. TOY. EVER. My mom gave one to O'Ryan his first Christmas when he was just 9 months. It helped him learn how to walk and gave him much-needed freedom to move around! I think O'Ryan has 2 of these and a mini stroller. They are the best because sometimes for an hour he will simply move a group of toys from one to the other and push them all around the house. Love it!
5. Mini Recliner
Last summer when O was just over a year I looked into these. I decided on a nicer, more expensive chair because I knew a Toy Story or Cars chair would just get old. I'm SO glad I bought this one (Amazon.com). It matches the rest of our house and has held up great. O'Ryan is constantly in and out of it. He feels special to have his own chair, I can tell. It does get crumbs and water stains, but it's also easy to clean.
6. Colombia Diaper Bag
When registering I asked a mom friend what kind of diaper bag she recommended. She suggested a back pack style so you can have two free hands. Awesome suggestion! This great quality diaper bag has been so useful. It's the perfect size (for me) and looks almost brand new despite 2 1/2 years of use. There's a insulated pocket for bottles and drinks and another pocket great for keys, chapsticks, paci's, etc. I always see these at Babies R Us.
7. Safety 1st Bath Seat
This is probably the item that most people ask me about when they see it. When my brother and sister were little my mom had one. So when O was starting to sit up more I headed to Babies R Us to buy one. There were only a few left. Now, apparently they're very hard to find. Several mom friends of mine have searched and searched and can't find one. Guess I just got lucky. I assumed most moms had them, but I guess not. Anyway, we used it for nearly a year. Needless to say, O looooved it and it was very sturdy and safe.
8. Custom Built-ins
My mom had always told me to not put large storage bins or containers in our play room. She made that mistake. Y'all know what happens right? The kids dump the ENTIRE bin out every day. So we thought it was best to have some higher storage with small bins. We wanted the higher storage in order to rotate toys every now and then. If kids haven't seen a toy in a month - it's brand new to them!! The small cubes have worked great. Most of them aren't pictured here (they're strewn across the floor!). They allow us to control the toy mess a bit more.
9. Little Tikes Swing
This was also a gift from my mom to O'Ryan for his church dedication. He was just 5 months at the time but not long after I began putting him in his swing. He would slump a bit, but he absolutely loved it. We don't use it much during the hot months, but when it's cooler O'Ryan swings every day. We were able to hang it in shade too, which is a plus. He, like most kids, could swing for hours.
10. Skip Hop Diaper Bag
I also bought this off Amazon and have just loved it. I never really used it for a daily diaper bag, unless we do an all-day thing like Seaworld or a long travel day. I mostly use this when traveling to the lake or other nearby trips. It's huge so I can fit a weekend's worth of clothings, diapers, wipes, drinks, medicines, powder, shoes, and more in it!!! Skip Hop makes the BEST quality bags. I highly recommend this brand and this bag!
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