Saturday, July 25, 2009

My Current Top Five ...

I swore that I made a list of the Top Five (or ten, or fifteen ...) baby items that I felt I couldn't live without. However I can't find it now, so maybe I imagined that back in my days of extreme sleep deprivation. So glad I am finally coming out of that fog ...

Anyhow, regardless of the past list (wherever it may be), I have a recent one to make. These are the Top Five baby items that I am using at this point, in no particular order. Without them my life would certainly be more difficult.
  1. Sassy Teething Feeder - This is my 'go-to' item when Riley starts to get a little fussy in between feedings or when she is extra bothered by an incoming tooth. A second one is always tucked in my diaper bag for when we're out and about and I am need of a distraction for her. The mesh bag on the feeder allows you to let your baby gnaw on whole foods that he/she wouldn't otherwise be able to due to choking hazards. I've used it with a frozen piece of banana, carrots, and canteloupe. Riley's current favorite is a good ol' ice cube. The handle has a "chill feature" that allows you to freeze it before use so that whatever you chose to put in the bag will remain cold for a bit. It all locks into place with a childproof lock so you don't have to spend extra time worrying that your baby has gotten it open - we all know that mommies don't have extra time for anything!
  2. Fisher Price Remote Control Video Monitor - Please do not let the '2 star rating' fool you - this is an exceptional product and if you know me very well, you know that I have an extremely high expectation of anything I spend this amount of money on! Kevin actually suggested that we register for a video monitor, but I poo-poo'd it, justifying that while living in a ranch with Riley's room right next to ours, a video was not necessary. I was so wrong. I didn't buy this until Riley was about 6 months old, but have thought at least once a day since how I wish I'd had it from birth on. I no longer risk waking her to take a peek at her - I simply turn on the monitor. With it's night vision, I have no problems seeing her. And the remote control option is incredible. With the push of a button, I can turn on a soothing heartbeat sound, nature sounds, or lullabies. I can even turn on a night light that is on the top of the video camera. When I hear a cry in the night I can see if she is simply crying in her sleep as she shifts positions (as she often does), or if it is the real thing. And especially at this point in the game, I can see if she has decided to stand in her crib but is confused how to get back down. The only thing in the reviews that I will agree with is that the battery life is pretty short, but what do you expect when you have all that power at your fingertips? That is why it comes with a power cord!
  3. LeapFrog Learn and Groove Musical Table - Hands down, Riley's favorite toy at the moment. It has a music mode and an alphabet mode. Two volume settings and not-so-annoying music makes it the perfect toy for me as well. Legs can be removed for floor play or easy transportation in the car. Love, love, love this and am so thankful that my triplet nieces agreed to hand it down to Riley!
  4. Triple Paste - Thanks to my best friend Meagen for sharing this little gem with me. As many of you probably know, teething has the potential to make for some nasty diaper rash. Riley didn't have a single trace of any diaper rash at one diaper change, and at the next one I even felt in pain just by seeing it. I remembered when Meagen's little man Max was teething and she had mentioned some 'miracle cream' to me. This is it. Sure, it is quite a bit more expensive than your typical Desitin ... and comes in a much smaller tube (don't you love how that works?) ... but this time you really do get what you pay for. I'd highly suggest having some on hand.
  5. Chicco Caddy Hook-On Chair - This is why above I said "In no particular order", because this doozy would put up a great fight for the #1 spot. I definitely do not use this every day, but on the occassions when I do use it I am SO thankful for it. I remember opening this at my shower. It wasn't an item on my registry, but from my friend Xanath who is mother to twin 2-year olds (God bless her soul). She swore by this and I must admit - in my mind I thought "I don't think I'll ever use that". Boy was I wrong. I actually keep it in my car. It folds flat, which is perfect for storage. Having it in the car ensures that we have it with us when we decide to head out to eat. I've also used it at my parent's and my friend's houses when we've been there for a meal. It hooks on to any table more securely than you could imagine. And the kicker is that the seat is machine washable - what could be better than that? Seriously. Stop reading. Go buy one of these ... now!!

So there you go - my personal Top Five at the moment. I'd be really curious to hear what YOUR favorite items are right now - care to share?

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