Baby #2 must haves

So... with Burke I remember posting a favorite things list around the 3 month mark (you can see here). Let's just say that things got real and I'm listing them starting with the most important.

1) Paper plates... 

You think I kid. 

We don't have a dishwasher (Technically... I guess I'm the dishwasher.)

 We eat almost every meal on these babies. I've never been so wasteful in all my life. My current state of mind is if it saves me from spending 10 extra minutes doing a chore at the end of the day and more time with my family.... I'm all in. 

2)Dum Dums

These have saved me in dire situations. 

Imagine this scene... your traveling... You're an hour away from home. It's lunch time, and your toddler is hungry... (so are you, but that doesn't matter in a two year old brain.), you park at Chick-fil-a. Suddenly your infant starts crying. She's hungry too... a half hour early! You must feed her in the car (because honestly who can imagine nursing a baby in Chick-fil-a, while your two year old slings Polynesian sauce all over the people sitting at the table behind you.) You give said two year old a "prize"... in the form of a harmless Dum-Dum.... or two.

It allows you to feed your youngest, while your oldest is smiling a blue raspberry smile in your passenger seat.

Winning.

3) Pampers Sensitive Wipes

While I was a loyal customer to Huggies wipes with Burke, they have proved to cause a diaper rash on sweet Hylan. Pampers Sensitive wipes have worked wonders.

4) Portable Sound Machine

I bought this exact one from Amazon. 

Since Hylan is sleeping in a basinet in our room, we needed something that would drown out the noises each of us make. I love this particular one because it's portable! I foresee this coming handy on our Disney trip!

5) Summer Infant Swaddle

Sorry for the tee tiny picture. 

These are fool proof. The only problem is that they are somewhat thin for the winter weather that we have going on... at night, I swaddle her first in a receiving blanket, and then wrap her in one of these... it makes for making an easy burrito baby, and she doesn't ever break free!

6) These two lotions...

While, we are Aveeno fans around here too... these two lotion are ranking just as high on my list right now. The Eucerin- for times where I find a dry patch on Burke or Hylan Marie (it seems to take away the itch of dry skin instantly and start healing by morning when you reapply!). Noodle & Boo... the BEST smelling, baby lotion. It is also thick and moisturizing and goes on your little baby like silk. I'm obsessed. I will be ordering the baby balm with sunscreen come summer!m

The next few are keepers from the first go round...

7)

 Moms On Call

I tell you... baby's DO come with instructions!

I was introduced to this book by one of my best friends, Julie. Every time I would call her in the early days of breastfeeding, getting on a sleep schedule, or what to do if I was thrown off by some weird symptom Burke had, she would literally look it up in this book and read it over the phone to me. So, I ordered it as soon as I realized that I too could be a baby genius.

My favorite part of the book is on sleep schedules... it worked wonders for Burke, and there is NO cry-it-out techniques... (I can't take it!). Hylan is still nursing every 2.5-3 hrs... so getting her to the point of sleeping through the night will probably take her longer that it did with Burke, but I plan on using the same strategies once the time arrives!

8) Nursing camies

via target

I live in these, morning and night.

They will make you feel anger towards the rest of your wardrobe because it's not as "feeding friendly." 

9) The Medela Pump

If you gotta do it, this is the brand to go with.

10) Last, but certainly not least... Milkies- The Milk Saver.

I have this on the list for the OPPOSITE reason I had it on my list the last time. While I struggled to keep up with Burke, with Hylan Marie I discovered I have the opposite problem (which... can I say is WONDERFUL!) With Burke, I was stingy with every drop of milk I could possibly produce- and so this little contraption helped me keep what would otherwise be wasted. With Hylan Marie, my supply has been sufficient and I realized I did not need to pump to keep up with her... but I wanted to have extra milk in storage... in those moment when we might go on vacation, on a date, etc. So instead of pumping, I've been using this at home to save extra milk to put into storage! I've got 30+ bags without pumping one drop... just from using this little gem.

There are definitely other things we use daily and that I wouldn't want to do without, but these most definitely stand out!