2nd and 3rd Month Favorites

Never did a 2 month favorites recap, so here’s a combination of all the things that have made life easier for us the past couple months!  First month favorites can be found here.

The World of Eric Carle Developmental Elephant – love this little guy!  I picked it up at Kohl’s a few weeks before Toby was born since we only received a few rattles and small teether toys at our baby shower.  The ears crinkle which grabs Toby’s attention and he’s getting pretty good at grabbing the little star shape that hangs from one of the feet.

Jeep Cherokee Sport Stroller – we’ve started to use this a lot more now that Toby is a little bigger.  We also use a Snuzzler to give him more support.  Love how lightweight and compact this stroller is, and it’s pretty smooth riding for the price.  I would say it’s a good couple steps up from an umbrella stroller – it’s definitely not a jogging stroller but does pretty well on bumpy sidewalks.  Only downside is that it doesn’t have shoulder straps but so far that hasn’t been an issue since Toby can’t move around that much :) 

Munchkin Nursery Projector and Sound System – we originally had registered for the Graco sound machine.  We used it for a few weeks and then Maggie decided to eat through the power cord (she also ate through my phone charger and video monitor power cords yesterday…let’s just say we’re having issues with the cats acting out lately but that’s a whole other post).  We used rechargeable batteries in it for a few nights, but it would randomly turn off even though the batteries were still charged, and then Toby would wake up.  For some reason Graco couldn’t send us a replacement cord (something about them not making this model anymore) so we just decided to order a new machine but went with a different brand.  Should have gone with the Munchkin from the beginning – not only is it cheaper but the volume goes up much louder, which Toby needs to sleep longer.  We haven’t used the projector much but we may use it more once we do more sleep training and wean him from the swaddle and pacifier.

Fisher-Price Deluxe Infant to Toddler Comfort Rocker – I probably wouldn’t have been able to shower daily without this fabulous chair.  It keeps Toby entertained for a good half hour, sometimes even longer while I get ready (I just put him in the doorway of our bathroom).  I hang extra toys off the bar so he can play with new stuff each morning. 

Baby Einstein Caterpillar and Friends Activity Gym – we started using this activity mat early on and it’s been worth every penny.  He loves punching all the toys and now is much better at grabbing them.  The smiley sun keeps him entertained and the music is cute, not annoying. 

Chicco Keyfit Caddy Stroller Frame – we originally were going to register for a Chicco travel system and then last minute I decided against it because a lot of reviews said how bulky the stroller was and that it took up a lot of trunk room.  Since I drive a Civic, I needed something compact and small.  We went with the caddy frame and Jeep stroller, and so far we’re really happy with this combo.  The caddy is very easy to open and close, doesn’t take up much space, and there is a lot of storage room in the basket.  We use this more for shopping and errands.  As Toby gets bigger, he probably won’t be in the car seat for much longer outside of the actual car, but this was definitely worth purchasing for his first few months instead of going with the more expensive travel system. 

Fisher-Price Cradle Swing – My Little Snug-a-Bunny – I’ll admit it, I was anti-swing before Toby was born.  I didn’t think it was necessary, thought they were really expensive for something you would only use for a few months, and I also didn’t want something that big taking up so much space in the living room.  Well, I caved in after 5 weeks since he was going through such a fussy period in the evenings and we both needed a break since he wanted to constantly be held and be moved.  Toby took a lot of naps in it during his second month but now he just likes to swing and look around.   

Tommee Tippee Travel Bottle & Food Warmer Set – we purchased this before our vacation to Maine, but should have registered for this from the start.  Makes it much easier to prepare a bottle when out and about, instead of having to ask a waiter for a hot cup of water or finding a coffee shop that will give you a cup.  It’s crazy how hot the water stays after several hours in the thermos – we’ve even burned ourselves a couple times so you definitely don’t want to to pour it near the baby!  Instead of putting boiling water, I just use hot tap water now and it’s the perfect temperature.