The Baby Book by William & Marsha Sears. Make that any book by the Sears for that matter. Dawn Kindley passed along several of her baby books when she moved out of town, two or three of which were by the Sears. Thanks, Dawn! For those that aren't familiar with the Sears, they are big time advocates of the Attachment Parenting principles (including baby wearing, breastfeeding, co-sleeping, etc.). Not for the faint of heart, attachment parenting encourages parents to go the extra mile by doing what's best for baby, not most convenient for parents. As Rick Warren says in the Purpose Driven Life, "It's not about you." The Sears encourage parents to make it all about baby while they're itty bitty. I've gained a ton of insight through their books.
Celebrations of Faith by Randy & Lisa Wilson. I met this couple at aseminar when I was in high school and was really encouraged by how they raised their seven children. Ingraining Scripture on their children's hearts was so important to them and I love the way they integrated it into their daily lives. They bring great ideas to the table such as Scripture recitals, Rights of Passages, and Blessing Your Children. A must read for any parent.
Sleep Sound in Jesus Lullaby CD by Michael Card. Best baby album I've ever heard. And I will admit my biases- this CD was made in the 80's and my mom had a cassette version that she played for my younger siblings when they were babies, so I have a lot of fond memories listening to it. Love the comforting lyrics that go with the gentle music (lots of comforting Psalm-like qualities about finding rest in the Lord). A sure fire way to put me to sleep if not the baby! :)
Burt's Bees Baby Bee Collection. My grandmother passed along an article in the KC Star months ago about the growing concern medical experts and parents alike have due to the side effects of phthalates in baby products (specifically the effects they have in baby boys). Since the government does not require that toiletries list whether or not a product contains phthalates or not, you have the greatest peace of mind when a product specifically says, "Phthalate free". Burt's Bees Baby Bee Collection is one of those product lines. I love that they're all derived from natural ingredients and smell amazing, too. It definitely costs a pretty penny compared to generic Johnson & Johnson, but I feel it's worth the investment.
Ergo Baby Carrier. So it's not much for looks (the modern Baby Bjorn is so much cuter), but when it comes to the best carrier out there, this is by far a step ahead of the game. Designed by a mom who couldn't find a carrier out there that was comfortable and that grew with her baby, this has it all. It's ergonomical, has a waist extender for plus size parents to wear, provides pocket storage for small trips, a backpack that can zip over the front and be used instead of a diaper bag for big trips, sucking pads to go on the straps so baby doesn't wear out the real straps, a hood to cover baby when super sunny, an infant insert for itty bitty ones, plus it's the only one I've found out there that can hold a child from birth all the way up to 50lbs (not that I'd want to hold a 50lb. child, but it's good to know!). I've gone a month without a carrier and now realize why women for thousands of years have carried their children on them- it provides the child the opportunity to be held close and bond, while giving the parent the ability to work with both hands. I ordered my carrier earlier this month. What a life saver!!!
Bum Genius 3.0's. bIf you would have told me last year to try cloth diapers when I had my first child, I would have told you no way. Too much hassle, what a mess, and what about the pins? That's just an accident waiting to happen, right? Then I did some research. Using cloth is not only better for the environment (sure, washing them uses water but that's a renewable resource), but it's much healthier for baby and it's a lot more cost effective. Plus, have you seen the new look of cloth diapers? What's not to like?! I fell for Bum Genius' 3.0's. They're an all-in-one, so no cover or pins are needed... they come on just as easily as a disposable. Plus, because of the snaps and Velcro on them, they can expand to grow with your baby (they fit a baby from 7-35lbs.). At around $17 they aren't cheap on the front side (it's encouraged to get around 3 dozen so a total investment is around $600), but you will have a return in your investment by the time your child is potty trained (add extra savings if you plan on using them with more than one baby down the road). And (would you believe it) cloth diapers are hot on the market right now. So much so that you can turn around and sell them used on Craigslist or Ebay for around $12-14 dollars a diaper. Not too shabby! I got lots of disposables as presents and am using them up so they don't go to waste, but I interchange them with cloth and can't stop singing their praises (singing praises over diapers? silly I know but it's true!). Washing them is a breeze (no stains as of yet) and the thought that I'll never have to buy diapers again? You better believe it brings a smile to my face!
Bummis Bio Liners. Brilliant idea to use with cloth diapers. Tear off a sheet and put inside a cloth diaper. The result? You just pitch the present your baby leaves in it into the toilet instead of cleaning it out of the diaper. Makes things so much easier and keeps diapers without stains longer.
Kiddopotamus & Co. Swaddle Blanket. I got an A++ in swaddling the baby doll in our newborn care class at the hospital, but that didn't seem to help when I had to do it on the real thing at home. Luke could kick out of anything, no matter how tight we wrapped it. So I totally love this swaddling blanket. It was a present I got from one of my violin students parents and it's brilliant. Has Velcro straps so swaddling is fool-proof and no baby can kick his way out of it. Luke really likes it, too!
Ergo Diaper Bag. Same awesome company that makes (in my opinion) the best baby carrier, also makes an amazing diaper bag. I stupidly wanted something cutesy and registered for a little Eddie Bauer for Luke. One week with that was enough to realize it wasn't going to adequately do the job... but I don't want to buy a huge bag only to retire it after we're done with the baby years in our household. This bag is so awesome. It's large, has tons of storage, but then has compartments to be used as a laptop case after your baby has grown. Problem solved!
First Years Close & Secure Co-Sleeper. We originally got it to use in our bed, but found Luke likes it no matter where we go. We use it as a portable little crib of sorts and it takes up a fraction of the space a playpen takes (granted, he'll outgrow it much sooner). Wonderful little invention, though. Even comes with a night light on the top.
Eddie Bauer 2-and-1 Harness. I first saw these when Nick and I were at Silver Dollar City and I thought they were such a fantastic idea. There were so many toddlers wearing them, I thought they might have been a SDC thing. Later, I found out they were available at Target. Back in the 80's, my mom used something similar though more simplistic that looked more like a leash to keep me from running away in public. The idea has evolved into a cute stuffed animal that fits like a backpack. More fun for the child, easier for the parent to control that trying to pull back a child by the wrist, too. Haven't used it yet obviously since Luke's so young, but I can imagine it will come in really handing when in big public events like conferences and on vacation.
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