I always enjoy reading these kinds of round ups because a lot of the time the best products are tried and true recommendations. There are things we used, love and will save for our second child (or pass along to friends if we no longer need them).
Infant Optics Baby Monitor
I was a little stressed by this purchase because I heard of a lot of my friends going through multiple baby monitors without finding one that really worked. We’ve had zero issues with this monitor. We no longer use it 100% of the time at night, but we use it every morning to see if she is still asleep. It’s been great and we recommend it!
Ok To Wake Alarm Clock
I cannot say enough good things about this clock. Just a few months ago Nova was waking up at 5:30 am every day. Today she stayed in her bed reading books until 7:30. HUGE upgrade in our Saturday morning sleep!
You can set the clock/light for whatever time you want. It did not take long at all (maybe two nights) for Nova to understand that she isn’t supposed to leave her bed or yell for us until she sees the light. And the best part is she LOVES the light. I swear she actually enjoys waiting for it.
We need to look up the person who invented it and send them flowers- haha.
Maxi Cosi Car Seat
This was one of the many purchases I just copied my friend on. She told me this car seat was super easy to use and easy to take the cover off to wash it. It’s been great. No complaints at all, but it’s the first car seat I have ever owned so not a lot to compare it to either.
Micuna Ovo High Chair
I have mixed feelings here. I 100% admit that I chose this high chair because it’s beautiful and modern. I am not ashamed to admit that. We have used and it loved it since the day Nova came home. And we have no issues with the small tray because it pulls up under our breakfast nook if we want it to. I never ordered a pad for it and don’t see how it’s necessary. I think it looks fine without it and it’s just one less thing to clean.
But what I will say is that if you want to buy this, definitely get the one with darker straps. The white straps have been a real pain in the a$$ to clean & look dirty most of the time. So go dark on the straps!
We will definitely be saving this for our second kiddo. If I had it to do over I might go for a less expensive high chair, but we do love how it blends with the rest of our decor.
Gathre Mats
We have a large mat for under Nova’s high chair and a small one for diaper changes. They’re amazing and really last. When we are done with them we’ll be able to pass them down in perfect condition. Highly recommend.
City Mini Baby Jogger Stroller
We couldn’t decide on a “fancy” stroller so we just got a travel stroller and honestly I haven’t even felt like we needed anything more! Our neighborhood doesn’t have sidewalks, so we keep it in the car trunk always and we use it every weekend for trips to the farmer’s market, the mall or the zoo. I love how easy it is to break down and throw in our trunk. We chose it after seeing our friend just throw theirs in their trunk in three seconds. Love it!
The only add-on thing we bought was this organizer, which holds our coffees or drinks.
I just saw they make a double stroller too, which is awesome!
Keetsa Organic Mattress
An organic mattress is at the top of my list for things I would pay extra for! The price is not that different from a lot of conventional brands, but it’s definitely not the cheapest option on the market. I read Healthy Child Healthy World on our way to China and learned so many little things I can do the improve the air quality inside our home and make greener, more responsible purchases. It’s a pretty old book, but most of the info is still really relevant.
We went for a twin bed instead of a toddler bed so it will last Nova much longer, throughout elementary school.
Anyway! Organic mattresses are a priority to me now and I’m working on swapping all the ones in our home one by one. Pillows too!
(no glass) Essential Oil Diffuser
This diffuser is what we use throughout most of our home (I’m one of those people with, like, eight diffusers in my house- lol). I like that it looks like glass, but it’s plastic. Not that Nova is the only one who breaks things, because I am guilty too!
My favorite blend for sleep is Lavender with a drop of Frankincense (I use Oui Fresh).
Diaper bags
I am very torn on diaper bags! I originally purchased this bag for China. We used it in China and about one month after. I think it’s a good bag (great price) and I bought it because it was the only one Jeremy liked. That said! After a month or two I switched over to a large tote bag most of the time (I have a couple I switch between) and that works much better for me. I don’t really feel like we need a full on diaper bag unless we are traveling. But I will still save it for our next trip to China and other trips.
We also have a kid’s backpack that we originally made for airplanes that we use in restaurants. I am planning to do a full post about that because it has been life changing! We try to eat out maybe 3-4 times a week with Nova and having stuff to keep her entertained helps A LOT, especially when we are with a group and trying to have conversations with other adults.
I’m sure I’m forgetting something, but hopefully this is helpful for someone! xx
