Raindrops on Roses and Whiskers on Kittens...These are a few of my favorite things (for new or expectant moms)!!!!

Ok everyone always does these kind of blogs, but I really have found some of my very own "favorite things" that I must share with you moms/expectant moms out there! These things make me smile!!!
1. Especially for Baby Disposable Diaper Bags. They come in a box, and I carry it from room to room. They are powder scented. I chunk the diaper and wipes in one of these little gems and then it's okay if the diaper doesn't make it to the trash can for another 3 hours. (The first week Jackson was home our bedroom floor was covered with dirty diapers...sounds gross I know but the fatigue really gets you.) I plan on using my diaper genie when he's actually sleeping in his room, but for now...these are a life safer. I also keep some in my "purse"[diaper bag]...haha.
2. A bassinet with wheels. Wow! I don't know why in the world Kyle and I had not planned to have one of these little treasures. What a blessing that Micah & Pam let us have theirs! We roll it from room to room, and Jackson sleeps right by our bed. Once he sleeps "through the night"...whatever that means...we'll start putting him in his bed, but for now, I don't know where we would be without this!
3. the First Years by Learning Curve Breastflow bottles. These are amazing whether you plan on breastfeeding or not. I originally bought them because they require baby to suck the same way he would if he were breastfeeding so that he is not confused when going back and forth. I found this to be true with Jackson. If you're interested...the Babies R Us website has a better description but I can tell you from my own experience that they are great for combining breast and bottle feeding or just bottle feeding alone. I continued to use them because they require baby to do the sucking and were the first bottle I tried that he didn't "choke" down. I found that the Avent newborn "slow flow" nipples were not slow flowing. If you turned them over, milk came right out. I would recommend to new moms to not buy a lot of bottles. Just try different ones until you find the one your baby likes the best.

4. The Flip video camera. A friend recently told us about this, and it is amazing! It's very affordable, and it is the size of a small digital camera. It has a USB device on the side that "flips" out...hence the name..., so you just plug it into your USB port on your computer and upload videos quickly and easily. You can also hook it up to your TV to view your videos. It only holds 60 minutes of video, but you can obviously delete frequently after you've saved your videos to your computer. We got ours at WalMart for $15o. Even if you already have a video camera (we have a larger one that we use for lengthier stuff that Kyle's grandparents gave us), this one is nice to carry around in your purse to catch those moments you just can't ever plan on happening. =) And if you have a baby already, you know how much stuff you are constantly hauling around, so it's nice to have something small.
5. My Columbia backpack Diaper Bag from Babies R Us. This thing is great. At first I wanted one of the stylish cutesy looking diaper bags. This thing is great because it fits absolutely everything you need plus it has all kinds of helpful compartments, a changing pad, and an insulated pouch that really does keep things cold or hot. The great part is it goes on your back and you are not having to juggle a diaper bag on your shoulder plus car seat/stroller/shopping bags/purse (if you still have one)...etc. Just think back to college when you were trying to carry a backpack on your back, a purse on your shoulder, books in your hands, a phone on your ear...etc. You get the idea. It's not so easy. This diaper bag will change your life!

6. One Piece Gowns. http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2788915
I'm talking about the one piece little outfits that have no bottom...just an elastic band. I have both SpaSilk and Carter's gowns. We use them all, but the Carter's fit more snugly. (Also...on that note...Carter's bodysuits (or onesies) fit the most snug as well. These gowns are nice especially in the middle of the night when you are too tired to put two snaps together. Also, on most of them, the little ends of the sleeves fold over so baby doesn't scratch his face. Jackson sleeps in one of these every night. Although Kyle says they look like dresses and Mitchell says he looks like he is in a bag, they are a life saver.

7. My Graco Metrolite Travel System. This system claims to be lightweight, and it truly is. It is wonderful and so easy to scoot around. People often comment on how light my car seat is. Although since this is an infant seat I'll have to buy the next size car seat a little sooner, it's worth it because it's so easy to carry around.

8. Circo receiving blankets from Target (cotton...sold separately...could not find picture). I can't remember the dimensions, but the largest receiving blanket I found (actually mom went on the search) was from this brand. They make one that is a good bit larger than most. Most blankets are not large enough to swaddle your baby in. You will still use them, but you need some larger ones for swaddling. We did have some of the SwaddleMe blankets, which are great, but Jackson prefers to be free...he likes his arms and legs out, and he would kick out of those blankets in about ten seconds...I'm not kidding...Velcro and all. haha. They really were great for those first few days when he was too groggy to make a fuss about it. Your best bet is to take as many of those AMAZING HOSPITAL BLANKETS as you can before you leave the hospital. I only made it out with one, but remember everything in that cart belongs to you...you can see it on your insurance bill. Next baby I have I'm leaving with at least five of them. They are long and perfect for swaddling and are lightweight, too.

There are so many more things I use and could not do without on a regular basis, but these are some of the main ones that may not be so obvious when you are looking to buy for your baby. All of these items are found at Babies R US except the video camera. Target & WalMart carry some of these things as well.

Also...just a tip...no matter how large you think your baby will be, have a few newborn outfits on hand. I didn't buy any because I thought it would be a waste of money because I heard that babies grow out of them so quickly and some can't fit in them at all. Well, Jackson is 4 weeks and 3 days old and his newborn onesies are still loose on him. It looks like he will be able to wear them at least a few more weeks. He's not a small guy, either! Those 0-3 outfits are pretty large. You don't need much...just about five or six newborn onesies if you wash often. I had a few that were given to me and our neighbors gave us a few more, and that's all we need really.

Feel free to share your "favorite things" with me as well because I'm always looking for things to make life easier!!! =)