My 10 Must-Haves For A Newborn

Before Emmett was born, I scoured the internet for lists of products that people actually used with their brand new babies. There are a million things out there that people tell you to buy, but I wanted to know what we would actually need.

I got a lot of good input from friends, and found a few good lists on the mom blogs (here , here and here). Because I found these lists so helpful, I wanted to (FINALLY) post a list of my own. So, here are all of the baby products that I have used and loved (in no particular order):

1. Madela Breast Pump: I had to go back to work pretty quickly after Emmett was born, so this double-pump has been our most important and necessary baby buy. I hated pumping at first. Like, really hated. But I was determined to continue nursing after going back to work so I stuck with it, and it definitely got easier. Of course I still don't love it (does anyone LOVE pumping??), but this pump is super easy to use and comes with all kinds of helpful accessories.

2. Boppy Infant Lounger: This thing is a lifesaver when your baby is brand new. It's basically a take-anywhere bed, and Emmett LOVED his. It's contoured and sized to fit newborns, so baby feels snuggled and comfortable. We used it in every room in our house. We even took it with us on a vacation when Emmett was three weeks old to use as his bed instead of bringing a huge pack & play or bassinet. Did I say lifesaver?

3. White Noise Machine: We took this cute little guy with us everywhere we went when Emmett was little tiny. He was able to sleep in loud restaurants as well as quiet rooms, as long as we turned on some white noise. Now that he's a bit older (and sleeps lighter!) we have retired the sheep for an app on our Kindle Fire (there are lots to choose from) since it has so many options and a much louder volume. Every night (and at nap times) we turn on his white noise as part of our bedtime routine, and it really helps him to settle down and get ready for bed. It's also great for diffusing noise when we have friends over in the evenings!

4. Baby ESP app: This app was such a huge help to me in the first couple weeks after having Emmett. It's available for Android phones, but we used it on our Kindle Fire. This app is a tool for keeping track of baby's feedings, diapers, naps, and everything else you could think of that you might need to remember. This was so important for me since as a new mom, your brain is hardly functioning in the first place, and then there's that pesky sleep deprivation...

5. Swaddle Blankets: We heard about these swaddlers from aden + anais from all of our friends with little ones. They are the perfect swaddle blanket- light, soft, big, and so so cute. They come in all kinds of patterns and colors, each one cuter than the last. I really can't say enough good things about these blankets. They are a must have. Tons of our friends swear by the Miracle Blanket, but we never got around to trying it. Next time!

6. Nipple cream: People tried to warn me that breastfeeding hurts when you're first starting out. I remember this clearly, but I didn't really understand until I started nursing. It hurts. It hurts a lot at first. Imagine the worst chaffing you've ever experienced times a hundred, and then add 1,000 tiny needles sticking into your nipples. It's that bad. So this nipple cream was a huge huge help for me. It helped relieve just a little bit of the pain between feedings, and is totally safe for baby.

7. Bathtub: We started out with the Puj Tub, which came highly recommended, but it just didn't work for us because it didn't fit in any of our sinks. Bummer. So we struggled and struggled with bathing Emmett in our sinks, or I would get in the bath with him each night. Finally my mother-in-law bought us this tub, which is simple and inexpensive and we absolutely love it.

8. Soothies Pacifiers: I was a little nervous to give Emmett a pacifier, because I didn't want to create an attachment that I would eventually have to wean him off of, but I'm so glad I did. A friend bought him a Wubbanub, which is so adorable and Emmett still loves his monkey so much. The last couple weeks it has become his favorite "toy" to play with.

9. Wipes Warmer: We LOVE our wipes warmer. Emmett has always been super sensitive to cold temps (definitely an Arizona baby!), so cold baby wipes would immediately start him shivering and sneezing when he was little tiny. So sad! We've used this wipes warmer since he was a couple of days old, and I can't imagine life without it. Besides warming Emmett's baby wipes, it also has a night-light that I find super helpful for middle-of-the-night diaper changes. It's bright enough that I don't have to turn on the overhead light in his room and wake him up any more than I have to. 

10. Bottle Cleaning Brush: This is probably an obvious one, but we went without it for months, so now that we have one I can't believe I ever lived without it. Since I work outside of the home 40 hours a week, Emmett takes most of his meals during the week from a bottle. So, I spend a LOT of time cleaning bottles. This is a must-have!

I hope this is helpful! If you have any must-have's that I didn't mention, please let me know in the comment box below. I'm always on the look-out for products to make our chaotic life a little easier!

Quick Post- Georgia!

It has been.. way too long.  I need to write more, so I thought I would write a quick post to gain momentum..

My boy is growing up so fast- he's rolling over all day long, talking non stop and we are having so much fun watching him learn! He's really pretty awesome.

I took Emmett home to Georgia last month to meet the family finally, so I wanted to share some photos from the trip! Enjoy!

The family was enthralled!

One of my favorite pictures ever. Sorry mom!

Emmett sayin hi to Uncle Luke!

And Uncle Ryan!

And checkin out Uncle D.

Reppin the Bulldawgs!

I came outside to find this happening. So cute.

Uncle Sean.

This is probably, okay definitely, my favorite picture ever. All my favorite things- Emmett, siblings, and bean dip...

Uncle Micah is the best. He let Emmett chew on his finger from across the table for like, 10 minutes.

And then again later. Uncles are THE BEST.

Emmett and his cute cousins! Atlas, Abel, and Aidan.

And here's one from Thanksgiving yesterday. :)

That's it for now, but I'm gonna try (!) to post again soon.

P.S. Check out my fall styleboards over at Pepper Design Blog!

Dear Emmett, 2 months

Dear Emmett Boy,

You are 2 months old now, and I'm only just writing my first blog post since you were born. I wish I had written before, because so much has happened that I want to remember. I wish I had written everything down, so that you could read it later and you could see how much I loved you these first 2 months. But I didn't write, because I've been too busy staring at you every second I can, and holding you and snuggling you and kissing your sweet little face.

You're growing so fast. I keep asking you to stop but you just won't listen to your mama! Every day when I come home from work you seem like a different baby- bigger and cuter and smarter. Last week you started sitting in our laps, content to just squirm and coo and look around at the world. Before you wanted me to hold you against my chest all the time, and walk around the house so you could see everything. You never liked me to sit for very long because you just love to look at things, and one view for too long got boring. But now you're a grown up baby, so you can entertain yourself and you love just sitting and being with your mom and dad. I hope that lasts forever!

You had your 2 month check up last Wednesday. I was so scared going there because everyone told me it would be a awful. The nurse gave you 4 shots, 2 in each thigh, and they hurt you so much! But you were a champ- you cried when she stuck you but not as much as I thought you would. You were so strong that I didn't even cry, which is a big deal because so far I've cried every time a needle get's close to you. I just hate seeing you hurting! When we went home, you were a sad baby all afternoon because your little legs hurt every time you kicked, and kicking is your favorite thing to do. So you just snuggled with your mom and slept on my chest all day, and we just hung out and enjoyed getting to be with you on a Wednesday afternoon. 

At your check up you were 10 lbs, 9 oz, and 24 inches tall! That puts you in the 25th percentile for weight and the 75th percentile for height.Tall baby! Your doctor says you are perfect and healthy and that made your mom so so happy. You are such a dream!

Your dad and I are so in love with you, our friends are probably getting sick of hearing about you. (Not really, they love you too..) We knew we would love you so much, but we didn't know it would be THIS much. We just smile at each other all day when we're with you, because we know you are perfect and we know that we made you, and it makes us love each other even more. Your dad says I call you an angel a hundred times a day, and I tell him that that's nothing, I say you are an angel one thousand times a day in my head. You're a perfect little angel boy and I'm just so happy and lucky to have you. 

Your dad and I had to go back to work when you were 6 weeks old, and it was so so hard for us. You were still so tiny and needed us so much, but we had to do it so that we can afford to take care of you and give you all the things you need. We did it because we would do anything for you, even if it's hard. Even if it means we don't get to be with you all day like we want to. I miss you every second I'm at work, and your dad and I talk about you all day long. And when work is over we rush home as fast as we can so that we can hold you and kiss you and tell you how much we missed you. But boy, do we wish we could stay home with you all the time.

Your favorite place to be in our house is in your nursery, lying on your changing table. Sometimes when you are upset, or tired, or mad or crying, we lay you down there and you immediately calm down and look around and then you are smiling in no time. It's our favorite place too now because that's where you smile and laugh the most. Every morning when we wake up I take you there to change your diaper and get you dressed for the day, and every morning you laugh and laugh and I laugh too and I also cry a little, because I just love you so much. Your dad and I worked hard to make your room special for you, and we're so glad that you love it there. We call it your happy place, and I think now it is my happy place too. It's the most amazing thing to see you look at me and smile, knowing that you know I'm your mama and knowing that you love me just like I love you. And knowing that you think I'm funny is pretty great too. 

Your favorite thing to do right now is standing up. You started loving it about a week ago. You are such a strong boy already- your dad holds you around the waist and you just stand there looking around, holding your head up like a champ, and we are so proud of you! We know you are a special baby and you're strong, and that you're learning faster than most babies do. Your dad thinks you'll be crawling in no time, but I hope that's not true because I want you to stay a little baby forever. I want you to always need me to carry you, and snuggle you and give you a million kisses. But I know soon you will be a little boy, moving around on your own and you won't need me to hold you anymore.

You are the most handsome little baby your dad and I have ever seen. I know everyone says that about their babies but it's really true with you. You are beautiful. And you were from the first moment we saw you. You had perfect skin and wide awake eyes and you were just so cute! Every day you get more handsome. And every where we go people tell us how they think you're such a good looking boy. It was hard for us to tell at first who you looked like- to me you looked like your uncle Micah for the first few weeks. And you still do a little bit, but now you have your mama's chin, and maybe my mouth too, and you look more like your dad every day. It makes us happy that you look like us. You're our boy, and everyone can tell when they look at you! 

I take pictures of you constantly, and post them to Facebook all the time for our family in Georgia to see. Sometimes I think you're gonna start calling my iPhone Mama because I have it in your face so often. But I want to remember every single look on your face and every single thing you did, and I want my family to see it too. They all love you so much, even the ones who haven't met you, and I want them to get to know you as much as they can from far away. We are going to Georgia next month, and I can't wait to show you off to everyone! You are going to be the most spoiled grand baby/nephew there ever was.

You are such an easy, happy baby. You only cry when you're really hungry, really tired, or when your dog brother Bagel barks really loud at the mailman and scares you to death. That is your saddest cry, and the one I like the least because you cry real tears. We're working on that, but Bagel just wants to protect you. Your dad pointed out to me that every night when you wake up to eat, when you start crying Bagel goes over to your bassinet and checks on you, and then when I pick you up to feed you he goes and lays down in front of the bedroom door. He stays there guarding the door until we are both asleep again. I am always so tired when this happens so I didn't notice, but since your dad told me I started paying attention and he's right! Bagel loves you after all! We weren't sure because before you came along Bagel got so much love and attention from us, but now we spend all our energy loving you and taking care of you, and Bagel kinda gets ignored, poor thing. I can't wait till you are older and you and Bagel are best friends. 

Your dad loves you so much. He can't wait till you are bigger so that he can play with you all the time, but for now he is happy to hang out with you, teach you about things, and play with you any way he can. He loves to show you your rattle, which you LOVE, and he loves to do tummy time with you and teach you how to kick your legs and lift your head. Lately his new favorite thing is laying you down and talking with you. You always talk the most when you're laying on your back, and you move your little tongue around your mouth to see what new sounds you can make. Your dad is such a good daddy and that makes me love him so so so much. He takes such good care of us, and doesn't mind doing all the work around the house after we get home from work so that you and I can be together and I can feed you and hold you, since I miss you so much while I'm at work. But he doesn't let me hog you, because he missed you too.

I love you Emmett boy. I hope to write you more letters like this, so when you're big you can read them and know all about what you were like as a baby. And you will see how much your mom and dad love you.