Baby Registry: 10 Items You Might Overlook

This post is sponsored by Target

When you have a new baby you never know what you’re going to need till you need it. There is so much to consider from clothing to nursery furniture to all-things-diapers that you might overlook some of the more “off the beaten path” items. Plus they grow up so fast – you might be thinking all newborn thoughts from the get-go, but they’ll be toddlers before you know it!

TargetMaze

Looking back on my experience, here are 10 things I have a feeling you might forget to add to your baby registry, especially if you’re a first time mom. Even if you don’t receive these as gifts (people find the cutest outfits!) at least you’ll have one master list to use to stock your nursery before the baby arrives.

Target-Collage

1. Night lights. You’ll be up all night and guess what? It’s really dark! Get one for your baby’s room and one for the bathroom too.

2. Paci clips. If you’re going to use a paci, you’ll want to use a clip as well. Those darn things fall out all the time!

3. BOB car seat adapter. I didn’t think we’d need this. I was wrong. Long after Mazen was given the go-ahead to ride in the BOB without it (walking only), I still put him in the car seat adapter to keep him extra warm and so he could look at me while we strolled.

4. Sippy Cups (a few different kinds). A great gift for a new mom is a handful of different kinds of sippy cups (including your favorite). Of course the second Mazen was ready for water I didn’t have a single cup at home. I ran out to buy a few different kinds. These OXO Tot cups with a straw are our favorite.

5. Pajamas beyond newborn size. Pajamas are the number one clothing item that I am always running to Target to get. Your baby grows up so fast, it’s hard to think beyond the newborn stage of clothing needs! We love these 4-piece sets that are mix and match by Carter’s.

6. Toiletries and medicines. Another “you don’t know you need it until you need it RIGHTNOW!” Think nose saline solution, Boogie wipes, a Nose frida and baby Tylenol.

7. Video monitor. I thought I could live without one before I had a baby. I was wrong again. I’ll sing the praises of my video monitor till the cows come home. It was great to see Mazen’s chest breathing as a newborn and it’s nice to see if he’s standing or reading a book in his crib now.

8. Crib rail covers. We have both the fleece kind and the chewy kind. Both have been great – no more tooth marks!

9. Swaddle wraps or a Miracle Blanket. I thought we’d be able to swaddle Mazen with the lovely muslin blankets we received. We have used those every day since his birth but never for swaddling! For swaddling we needed something stronger – the Summer Infant Swaddlemes and the Miracle Blankets were the best.

10. A baby gate. Because before you know it, your little bundle of joy is going to be running to the stairs!

Create a Target baby registry here! The above links are not affiliate links. Love me some Target though!

This post is sponsored by Target. The adventure begins here: Discover all Target has to offer for your baby registry and throughout your motherhood journey.

13 Going On 14

In just a few more days Mazen will be 14 months old!

Of course children are always learning, but lately Mazen has been showing us that he is taking in and processing information. He has learned the signs for “eat” and “water” and when I do “cheese” he imitates my hand movements (although he doesn’t do them back yet).

The cutest processing tale is a bit of confusion that we have caused about cats and pumpkins!

Pumpkin = our neighbor’s real orange cat

Pumpkin = Mazen’s stuffed puppet orange cat

Pumpkin = the big round gourds all over in the fall

So Mazen has started pointing to real pumpkins and saying “At at at!!” {Cat} So very cute, but I feel bad for making the words cat and pumpkin so confusing!

He has learned the word for “egg” and I cannot make him a scrambled egg fast enough in the morning! He’ll dance around the room shouting “eh eh eh!” until it comes off the skillet and we spend a few minutes blowing on it together until it’s cool enough to eat.

He is much better on his feet now and falls less than he used to. He’s getting better at climbing too, and keeping him off stairs continues to be my #1 challenge when out in public. He wants to climb them all day long! I can barely wash his high chair tray without him climbing up the steps of the chair, so I have to be very careful I don’t turn my back at the sink or he’ll be standing up high off the ground before I know it. He is inches from being able to climb up on the couch all by himself, which will be a problem because he lacks awareness of how not to fall off backwards.

The other day when it was nearly naptime I said “Mazen are you ready for night night?” He responded by saying “Night night night” a few times and started to walk toward his room and crib. Once in his room he went to the crib, asked to get in and laid down to sleep. These moments are likely fleeting, but never have I seen him that willing to take a nap! It was like a motherhood dream world. His naps continue to be about an hour and a half (with the occasional 1 hour or 3 hour day!) from 12:30 to 2 these days.

Our mornings start at 6:30 or so with breakfast for us both followed by playing at home. Around 8:30 we head to the gym where he has his snack and jumps around with other kids for an hour while I workout. We heart our gym!!

11/11:30am-ish is lunchtime followed by some playing while I clean up and then his nap.

We try to get out of the house again in the afternoon around 2:30 or 3. This is the time I usually run an errand or go over to a friend’s house.

By 5 we’re back home for M’s dinner. Bath is usually around 6 and bedtime wind down starts at 7. He’s usually asleep by 7:30pm.

We’re still nursing once a day. Matt asked me the other night why I haven’t stopped completely. I’m just not ready! First thing in the morning is so easy and convenient. If I can, I want to know it’s the last day when it comes, and that makes me even more sappy and I don’t want it to come. M still asks for milk as soon as he’s up, so I’m waiting to see if it loses its appeal in the coming weeks. There sure doesn’t seem to be much milk in there, but he will nurse for 10 – sometimes 20 – minutes each morning. I think he’s holding onto the routine as much as I am and just staying on for comfort.

I have started giving M cow’s milk at lunch and dinner. He usually sips a few ounces, but he doesn’t chug it down. For the first month I gave it (maybe a few times a week) he just let it dribble back down his chin, but lately he’s actually been taking sips. One time last week he drank the whole cup and asked for more. I’d love for him to drink a 4-6 ounce cup at both meals.

That’s about all I can remember that our little guy has going on!!

Bébé Gourmet

Baby cookbooks are just so….sweet! I have found baby food to be both incredibly simple (puree some peas, yo!) to a bit intimidating (am I incorporating enough flavor?) I was sent this book, Bébé Gourmet, to review and fell in love with its beautiful photography, creative recipes and ability to grow with your child.

The book was written by Jenny Carenco, mother of two and founder of the French baby food brand Les Menus Bébé. The recipes are organized by age and go well beyond the simple puree stage. And the recipes are also adaptable to turn into meals for adults – a two-in-one cookbook : )

I’m not sure I’d make a chicken or lamb tagine for Mazen alone, but if our whole family could enjoy it then it’s worth the effort. In some ways this is a regular cookbook with baby friendly techniques.

As I said above, the photography is just stunning.

Here’s a peek into the table of contents – recipe categories go from compotes to lunch and dinner categories for older babies. I read through the cookbook in a few nights and am inspired to have Mazen try some new flavors in the coming weeks.

This book would make a beautiful gift for a new mom.

To win a copy of Bébé Gourmet, enter here!

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Here is a link to Amazon for more info on the book. And you can talk to Bébé Gourmet on Facebook and Twitter.

Daily Mom Giveaway: Lassig Diaper Bag!

Hey y’all, have you heard about Daily Mom? It’s a new online magazine that just launched last month and an amazing resource of posts and articles for the modern woman and mom. The site covers a huge variety of topics, and you can find just about anything you need to research – parenting, beauty, fashion, green living, health, fitness, and more. I find myself jumping from one post to another.

I have partnered with Daily Mom to host one of their giveaways as a part of an extensive 50 Days of Giveaways campaign to celebrate their launch. For 50 days, they will be giving away one awesome prize a day to thank their new readers.

So today we’re giving an opportunity for one lucky reader to win a Diaper Bag from Lassig.

Lassig has a great collection of bags for moms and kids. They offer bags in every style imaginable from Glam to Vintage and even have an eco friendly Green Line. Lassig products contain no PVC, AZO dyes, or pthalates. Be sure to check out their stylish bags on their website. Keep in the loop by following them on Facebook and Twitter. And of course, enter below for a chance to win.

The giveaway will run for a week, and there are only two mandatory entries with many optional ones. All you have to do is follow the directions below in the Rafflecopter widget. This giveaway is open to legal US and Canadian residents only.

And be sure to visit Daily Mom tomorrow to see what new item they are giving away and to enter previous drawings! The prizes range from strollers to high chairs, monitors, diaper bags, fashion items, baby clothing and photography products. There is something for everyone.

Need Help? Don’t have a Facebook account to enter with? Email Daily Mom staff!

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After you’ve entered the giveaway, be sure to browse Daily Mom and check out some of my favorite posts! I’m loving:

Why You Need to be Part of the Organic Revolution

Homemade Coconut Milk

Proper Places For Your Food to Chill

FEATURED SPONSOR GIVEAWAYS FROM DAILY MOM

This post is for notification purposes only. To see a full list of prizes and current giveaways, please visit our Giveaway page.

Mazen Duke Week One

It’s been six months and we had yet to edit any of the video footage from Mazen’s first week. I suppose I was waiting for some chunk of time to make a really nice video. Um, maybe that will happen when Mazen goes to college?! So instead, I sorted through the dozens of videos I have and strung together some clips. No music or pretty sequences – just some real life footage of our first week at home.

Coming up next: The First Three Months video

Review: Oilo Play Blanket

Oilo sent me one of their blankets recently – this beautiful Freesia play blanket.

The company makes all kinds of beautiful bedding, furniture and décor items. Their crib sets are just gorgeous!!

So far we love the blanket for floor playing. It’s super soft sateen on one side and more durable duck surface on the other so the blanket doesn’t slip around on the floor. The blanket is large, so it makes a great play mat – at 40×50 inches. I love that I can wash it after its been on the floor no problem.

Mazen especially loves the chevron design – it’s his favorite!!

If you’re nursery or registry shopping, check out their designs!

And for everyone, a discount code for $20 off with any $50 order!

Code: BabyKerf/Oilo

Review: PV.Body Fit Box

I’m so sorry if any of you are having trouble with your orders. PV.Body is going through a transition right now towards an in-house brand called Ellie. I didn’t know this when I received my box and wrote this review. It’s probably best to give them some time to let the dust settle before trying out the new line. I apologize for any inconvenience this partnership has caused.

The latest trend sweeping mailboxes near you is customized monthly box subscriptions of everything from organic beauty products to fashion clothing to healthy snacks to fitness wear.

pv.body asked if they could surprise me with one of their Fit Boxes as a mom on the move. I happily accepted, knowing I needed all the help and motivation I could get to get moving after Mazen was born!

Your box is customized based on a fitness quiz you take about the style of workouts, colors and apparel you like. The style fairies then put together a two-piece outfit that retails for over $100 for just $49. If you’re into higher end fitness apparel, then this is quite a deal. Shipping is always freeee, you can cancel the subscription at any time, and if your clothes don’t fit they will send a replacement that does. (You can also refund the whole box if you wish to return it all).

So what did I receive?

These American Apparel running tights. I am in love with them for recent winter runs! I have actually never owned running tights because I generally prefer pants that slightly flare to make my shorty legs look longer. I assumed tights would not fit me very well and shift around or bunch, but these fit perfectly and don’t budge. I also can’t believe how wonderful running without flare flapping at your ankles is. Duh! So a huuuuge thumbs up for these.

For the top, I got this Nux brand tank. I love the color, and it fit well, but for this nursing mama, it was a bit too revealing for anything but hatha yoga, so I opted to send it back. Although instead of sending it back, I was given the choice of giving it to a reader as a giveaway. See below!!

In exchange, pv.body sent this navy sports top that I like much more for its coverage. It’s also nice and long so it works well as a transition from maternity wear.

If you’re interested in trying out pv.body yourself, you can get 20% off by jumping over from BERF!

{Note this link is an affiliate link. If you’d prefer to just go to the site organically, feel free!}

And if you’d like to win this sleek size medium tank, leave a comment below with your favorite fitness activity. If it doesn’t fit you, I’m sure it would fit a friend of yours!

Giveaway runs for 48 hours. Check back here for the winner!

Winner!

The winner is Beaty. Please email me with your name and address at Katheats@gmail.com!

Review: Amy Michelle Diaper Bag

In contrast to my sporty, dad-friendly diaper bag, Amy Michelle sent me this beautiful designer diaper bag to review. It’s called the Sweet Pea, and comes in a few pretty colors. I use both bags interchangeably, but this is definitely the one I take to more formal events. Basically if I’m dressing up, this bag is part of my outfit.

Upon first glance, I was thrilled with all of the pockets. Pockets are the #1 diaper bag requirement!! So many little things to tote around. After getting very comfortable with the pockets in my other diaper bag, it took me a few minutes to decide where things would best go in this bag.

The two on the front (which are magnetic and not buckles – yay) were easy fits for my phone and car keys. One on each side.

And my mom things – hand sanitizer, snacks, lip gloss – fit well in this front zippered pouch.

Burp cloth got tucked into one of the bottle pockets on the outside for super easy access

And after a little sweat, I was relieved to find that my huuuuuge water bottle fits inside. It’s a tight squeeze for a liter bottle, but it worked. Whew! That might have been a deal breaker to love this bag 100%.

Amy Michelle didn’t miss a beat – there are stroller holders on the sides. I actually really like that these are velcro and not clips because they take less time to pop on and off the stroller. They also unclip if you want to take them off and tuck them away in an inner pocket. Thumbs up!!

Lastly on the outside is the changing pad pocket. Simple + functional. Although I do sort of wish this changing pad had some cute design on it instead of being a blah beige.

The main pocket is very roomy – roomier than my Skip Hop bag which is GREAT because it fits my DSLR camera even better than the other.

Loved the side pockets for diapers and wipes. Although I will say that since we have moved on to cloth diapers my bag is much more full. I still keep a few disposables in there too though, so the pocket is still being used.

I also recently bought this Skip Hop wipe holder since the wipes we were using didn’t have an easy travel solution. Again since switching to cloth we have a bit of a wipe issue when we’re out (cloth wipes or disposable!?) but I’m working through that.

The bag also has smaller pockets for things like credit cards, but I would never put a loose credit card in a diaper bag, so I’m still carrying around my wallet. There are several more zippered pockets inside though, which are fabulous. Everything should have magnets or zip!

Speaking of magnets, that’s how this bag closes at the top. That’s one effective magnet!

The only drawback to this bag is that it can’t be worn messenger style, so it’s not quite as comfortable for long-term wear, but I think if I knew I would be wearing my diaper bag for hours I would pack my other sportier one anyways.

Overall, I love the bag. It’s stylish and super functional as well. I’ve only been using it for a few weeks, but I haven’t noticed any wear or tear. Pockets for the win!

Learn more about Amy Michelle on Facebook or its website.

And as a special treat, I’ve arranged a 15% discount on any order from www.amymichelle.com. Just use the code: BabyKerf.

Giveaway: Lazy Day Cottage Tags

Long-time KERF reader Kayla works for Lazy Day Cottage, an Etsy shop that specializes in gorgeous handmade, hand-stamped vintage tags in addition to cupcake toppers, wish tags, buffet labels, placecards, and more.

Kayla sent me a selection of tags to use in my holiday gifting this year.