The Best Of (Part 8 of 10)

A (long) while back I set out on a mission to make a top 10 list of MY favorite baby related items.

It's been slow going to say the least.  Last time I posted to the list was item #7 and that was back in January. Yup, slow going for sure... so much for my plans to have the list done by the time he was a year old.

But then this weekend it came to #8 on the list.  And this is a good item to have on my list because it can be used for years; and really I like items that have longer life cycles (than say the bouncy seat they use for a few months).

So without further ado.... drum roll please....

#8 on my list is the Woobee Plush blanket by RoSK (Rain or Shine Kids).

Basically it's a waterproof blanket w/ a fleece lining on one side that has a ribbon on either side of it.

Simple right - you're wishing you designed this aren't you?  You're also trying to figure out how to make you're own too.  Right?  Right?


The ribbons allow you to tie the blanket to the stroller or the car-seat and you don't have to worry about it falling off.  You can also tie it to the baby carrier to provide an extra layer or warmth or rain protection when carrying your little one around.  It's great for throwing on the ground to use as a blanket when you're out and about, etc.  Really, it has more uses than you think of.

On a related note; the price of these are all over the place on-line; I bought ours off Baby Steals for 50% off.

The Best Of (Part 7 of 10)

The other night I was thinking about writing a blog post about how much I love the chair in Husband's office (everyone thinks like that right???); and then it occurred to me that 1) Monkey will be 1 in a few weeks and 2) that I really haven't added to my Best of List in a while and 3) well the chair is a best of item...

so... drum roll please....

#7 on my Best of List for Baby is... The Recliner!!!!

Yes, this is not your typical baby registry item.  And yes, everyone loves a good rocking chair or glider; but really if you can afford it and you have the room I highly recommend getting a recliner for use with baby. A rocking recliner is even better.

When Monkey was born Husband had his rocking recliner in his office.  It was red, it was old, it was kind of hard, it was old... but it worked.  So well it put Monkey and I to sleep more than once.

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Then Gram passed away, and along with other things, we inherited her recliner.  So Husband's old red one was passed off to my brother in law, and Gram's took it's place.  This chair was a lot newer, and softer, and fluffier than the red chair.  I am in love.

Now when I get home from work I scoop up the baby and head to Husband's office and into the easy chair.  I kick off my shoes, and pull the leaver... ahhh!!!!  Feet up, all nice and cushy and feeding my baby.  Does it get any better than this?

So yeah, if you have a the room and the money... then put an easy chair on your list of "must have" for baby... I know it's on my top ten list.  

And many thanks for Husband for letting me take over his chair and invade his office.  

The Best Of (Part 5 & 6 of 10)

In case you've missed the first half of the list you can find it here.

I've been debating my #5 on this list for a while now, as this may be something that comes back to bite me in the butt as Monkey gets older.  But here it is anyhow....

drum roll please.... #5 on my list is.....

The pacifier.  And not just any pacifier, the Nuby Natural Touch, Soft-Flex Cherry Shape one to be exact.

Monkey loves this pacifier.  We call it a Nook (as we like to say "Monkey loves nookers, but not hookers.  I know we are a little strange.)  You see Turkey never took a pacifier, ok he did ONCE for about 10 seconds; and with all the studies showing pacifiers helped reduce the rate of SIDS Husband and I were all about finding  a pacifier Monkey would take.  We must have bought a dozen different types and brands of pacifiers before finding these and realizing how much Monkey loved it.  Now mind you, we can only buy these on-line (for way too much money), or drive to one particular Target 40 minutes away to get them.  But like I said he loves this pacifier and takes sucking on his pacifier very seriously.

Chillin' with my mom and his nook.

Out and about with his nook and a book.

Drifting off to sleep at Pumpkin Feast with his nook.

Getting ready for bed with his nook.

Now you will notice in many of these photos Monkey's nook is tethered to him. And this brings me to #6...

drum roll please....

#6 on my top ten list is the Booginhead Pacifier Holder, or as we like to call it in our house the leash (the complete combo is nook-on-a-leash... never leave home without it).  We have several "leashes" as they are great for keeping other items close at hand in the stroller/carrier/carseat, etc.

For example: you can have teething-ring-on-a-leash.

Or my favorite, Sophie-on-a-leash.

What?? Doesn't everyone keep a French rubber giraffe hanging around?

The Best Of (Part 4 of 10)

I've been thinking long and hard about the next thing on my list of the Top 10 Baby Items, and then today it came to me as Monkey was screaming his head off and I was searching for Baby Dee.  Baby Dee is #4.

So.... drum roll please.... #4 on the list is.....

The Hasbro/Playskool Glow Worm, or as we call it around our house Baby Dee.

Monkey, around age 3 months with Baby Dee.

Baby Dee got his name from my, now, 16 year old cousin and Goddaughter V.  When V was a baby she needed her Baby Dee, all the time.  Over the years she had several Baby Dees.  My aunt would just keep buying them and replacing them, saying that Baby Dee had gone to get cleaned up or to the doll hospital... you get the idea.

Back then Baby Dee only came in green, and was much longer - now they are short and study and come in blue or pink (isn't that special).  But they still do the same thing, you squeeze their belly and their face lights up and they play music for about 30 seconds (That's my only complaint, why of why, for the love of.... can't they play and light up for like 10 minutes.  Oh heck, I would be happy with 5 minutes.  Who am I kidding?  3 minutes and I would be good.)


When Monkey is crying and nothing soothes him; not the boob, the pacifier, or daddy cuddles; we know it's "Baby Dee Time".  We grab that silly little glow worm, put it right up to his face and squeeze... and then the calm come.  Red eyed Monkey stops crying and looks, stares really, at Baby Dee.  And then Baby Dee turns off, he starts to whimper, so we squeeze again.  A few more rounds of this, and Monkey is happy, chewing on his baby's ear.

We've even had car trips where we have paid Turkey $2 to squeeze and hold Baby Dee to his brother's face over and over again.

We love Baby Dee in this house.  We all do, even the 7 year old has been known to yell "It's Baby Dee time."

Full Disclosure: We didn't pay for our Baby Dee, we had Kohl's Cash and got it for free; but I was not paid for this review and would gladly buy a Baby Dee should we ever need a second one.


You can find items 1, 2 and 3 on my list here.  

The Best Of (Part 3 of 10)

So far on the list we have had 1) The Arms Reach Co-Sleeper and 2) The Woombie.... and now tonight I present you with #3 (aren't you lucky???)....

Drum roll please....

And #3 is the "nursing tank".  Specifically the nursing tanks that Target sells.  If you plan on nursing for any period of time a nursing tank is a must have for your new mom wardrobe.  The simplicity of being able to unclasp your top and offer you baby a meal is key in trying to balance it all.  Not to mention they are cute (I've had several compliments on mine), and versatile (you can wear them under a number of things as the weather gets cooler).   Now granted they don't have to be the Target brand.  But at $16 each, how can you go wrong?

Full Disclosure: I was not paid or offered product for this review.  Views are solely my own.

The Best Of (Part 2 of 10)

A few days (er, weeks ago) I started a "The Best of Baby Stuff According to Me"; it's designed to be a top ten list of things I LOVE and feel I couldn't live without for baby-rearing.

When we all know, really all you need is diapers (of your choice), food (of your choice) and patience... lots and lots of patience.  


In my previous post I named the Arms' Reach Co-Sleeper #1 on my list.

And now tonight... without further ado....drum roll please....

My #2 baby item is: The Woombie.

Monkey modeling his Woombie (in his co-sleeper).

My friend, Devin, over on "Devin is a Girl" recommended the Woombie to me months ago, back when Monkey was first starting to be a mini-Houdini and getting out of his swaddles.  Maybe it was because I didn't want to wait for it be shipped to me (that was before I knew I could get them locally, well sort of locally); maybe it was because I didn't want to spend the nearly $30 on it (I've mentioned it before I am thrifty).  So I kept going out and buying bigger and bigger Velcro-closure swaddler blankets.  And he kept escaping from those.  I should have listened to Devin sooner.  

We tried the miracle blanket a friend gave me, we tried swaddling the old fashioned way (with receiving blankets and with muslin ones), we tried to see if Monkey was ready to sleep un-swaddled (but he wasn't).    Over and over we went back to the Velcro-closure swaddlers, and then after he managed to get it wrapped around his neck the 2nd time, we ordered the Woombie (in Big Baby Size, Pineapple color).  After some drama, it finally arrived - and we have not looked back since then.

The Woombie is everything we could hope for and look for in a swaddler; and in this family my babies need to be swaddled.  Dr. Harvy Karp, the author of "The Happiest" series has his 5 S's for calming babies: swaddle, sushing, swinging, sucking, and side/stomach.  Swaddling is needed for a reason people... and we love The Woombie for swaddling.

The Best Of (Part 1 of 10)

Over the years I have seen many many lists for "the best of baby" stuff; usually they come in the form of a Top 10. And more times than not, I read the list and scratch my head and think "really, who needs that?".  I swear none of those lists are complete without mentioning The Boppy.  Personally I just don't get it?  Really who needs a pillow shaped like a C for their baby?  Yet, I have many friends, nursing or not, that swear by it.  After two kids and 7+ years of parenting I still don't get the love affair many have with The Boppy.

Anyhow, I digress, after talking with my cousin this weekend I decided to come up with my own Top 10 Best Of Baby Items.  (That's a mouthful isn't it?)  As of right now I only have two items on my top ten list, so this may take a while to complete, stay tuned.

Now without further hesitation....drum roll please.....

In my opinion the #1 Baby Item is:

The Arms-Reach Mini Co-Sleeper.

I've mentioned this item before, calling it "amazing"; and it truly is.  My friend M, who lent me all of her cloth diapers, also lent this item to us.

I will admit when she first showed it to me, I was a little skeptical, after all I didn't need something as fancy as this when I had Turkey and we nursed at night just fine (granted he started and stayed sleeping through the night around 6 weeks of age).

When Husband came home and saw what M brought over he was nearly giddy with excitement and insisted on setting it up and checking it out right away.  I will admit M and Husband were onto something; this thing has proven to be a sleep saver.

It's a great alternative to those who don't want to bed-share, yet want to be able to reach baby in an instant.  I love being able to roll over and pick up Turkey, or place his pacifier in his mouth.  It makes the transition from nursing in my bed to putting him back to sleep that much easier.  I can nurse him as much as him and I want in a night, and never once have to get out of bed.

Granted my forearm has, what seems to be, a permanent bruise from putting Turkey in the co-sleeper, but that's my own doing; and frankly the bruising is worth the extra minutes of sleep I get from using this item.  Not to mention the peace of mind that comes from having Turkey so close and so safe.

If you are going to have baby sleeping in the same room as you, for any period of time; I would highly recommend the Arms Reach Co-Sleeper (mini or full size if you prefer).

Rave, rave, rave... I can't say enough good things about the co-sleeper.  Many many thanks to M for turning me on to it.



Do you have an "I can't live without" baby item?  I'd love to hear your thoughts below in the comment section.