My Favorite Baby Registry Items

Well several people have come to me and asked my opinion on baby items that I loved.....so here are a few of JENNIFER'S FAVORITE THINGS!

I LOVE this bath tub: The First Years Sure Comfort Deluxe Infant To Toddler Tub because there are three ways to use it, especially when they are a newborn!  For sure one of my top favorites!  And everybody that I have recommended this too has also LOVED it!  I actually put it inside our bathtub for baths.  I would just plop in the bathtub and wash away....then when we were done I would just tump it upside down so the water drained out really quickly! 

Sony 900 MHz BabyCall Nursery Monitor  We have had this monitor for 2 years and have had no problems at all with it!  I personally think that the monitors with the video are overkill and just too expensive!  Put your faith in God's protection...not in a monitor with a video camera!      

Moby Wrap Baby Carrier I couldn't have lived without this thing!  It doesn't hurt your back or shoulders at all!  I seriously wore this thing for hours at a time.  My daughter loved being close to us when she was an infant so this helped her satisfy that need.  As she got older we turned her so she was viewing the "world" and that satisfied her need to watch everything.  I know I am going to love this when we have our next baby.  Having a newborn and two year old means I will need to have my hands free often but can still be "holding" the baby.  Only recommendation....DON'T GET BLACK!  Yes it goes with everything but it gets way too hot and somebody told me that it shows every speck of lint.  

Boppy Pillow Great pillow for comfortable breastfeeding, laying the baby in it, giving baby a safe place to strengthen those neck muscles during tummy time, and a great tool to help them when they are learning how to sit!  

Graco Jump 'n Jive Doorway Jumper with Interactive Musical Mat  I don't even know where to start for this one.  I love this Jumper for so many reasons.  

1. It was the easiest toy that we received to put together and it is so easy to move from door to door.

2. It really helped strengthen our daughters legs

3. This gave my daughter hours upon hours of entertainment while taking up little room!

4. I was able to hang it in the bathroom while I got dressed for the day, which doesn't sound like that big of a deal but once that little one gets here you will understand!  :)

(Some people don't like it because it seems too big.....I just put a blanket behind my daughter to help keep her tightly inside)

Baby Einstein Videos Amazing.....My daughters favorites as an infant were Da Vinci, Galileo, and Shakespear.....as she has gotten older she LOVES the ones with animals in them...she hasn't liked the shapes, language, numbers, body ones as much but I am hoping as she gets a little older we can use them to help learn! 

Glider and Ottoman Really any would do but we picked this one because it was a little less expensive and a little smaller.  We didn't have enough room for one of the REALLY big ones!  I love the Ottoman!

Pregnancy Day By Day This was the book that I used during pregnancy.  It was so much more informative then the What to Expect When Your Expecting book which it seems like everybody gets.  It tells you every single day how your baby is developing or how your body is changing.  Plus there are tons of pictures.  I just loved it!

Healthy Sleep Habits Happy Child I know there are lots of methods out there for sleeping.  After lots of research this was the method that we felt would work best for our family.  This book is VERY informative on sleep.  I skimmed the first four chapters and then after that was when I felt the information was answering my questions.  With my daughter we let her eat, sleep, and play whenever she wanted to for the first four months of her life.  By 4 months she was never napping or sleeping so we got this and implemented the strategies right away.  Since about 6 months she has slept from 7 at night until 7 in the morning.  She is the best sleeper that I know!

Registry Advice

General things we were glad that we registered for:  Play Mat, Playpen (one with a changing station....this is what we used for a bassinet), a bin for toys, wipes, diapers(personally LOVE pampers way more than Huggies), Lullaby CD, pacifier clips, bouncy seat or rocking seat that vibrates, diaper bag, High chair that attaches to a chair (the ones that stand alone take up SO much room!)   

Anything that could potentially get really wet from diaper mishaps register for two or more of (sheets, changing pads, Bopi Pillow Covers, towels)

Regrets/Could have lived without:

Cutesy Spit Rags....they don't catch the spit up if your baby is going to be a spitter upper......just use the cloth diapers Gerber brand....they work really well!

The million bibs that people gave us.....wish I would have taken a few of them back!  

Kylie HATED her swing.....but I think that just depends on the baby....she preferred to be carried which is why I LOVED the Moby Wrap.  I recommend finding someone who has one and borrowing it!

Stroller.....we got three.....personally the cheapest one is my favorite because when the girls babies we carried them in the moby if we went places or went on walks and then when they were old enough to sit in the stroller the cheap one was good enough.

Blankets....UGH this was probably one of my biggest frustrations.....the little receiving blanket packs from Babies R Us have the cutest blankets but they aren't really big enough to swaddle.  I hated the swaddle blankets that have velcro!  I might just be picky though!  :)

Don't bother registering for clothes.....unless there is just something that you REALLY want them to have because most people buy what they want clothes wise...especially if its a girl!

***My only other advice is to register for the future too...think about when they start eating real food.....you need spoons, sippy cups, bowls, high chair, register for the car seat that you want them to have as a toddler....toddlerish toys/books etc.  But only do this if you need more things for your registry!****

IF YOU ARE BREASTFEEDING

Medela Pump In Style Advanced BreastPump On The Go Tote I have fallen in love with this thing!  It made breastfeeding so much easier because others could feed Kylie some bottles...and when my supply was low this really helped A LOT to get my supply up quick!  I would HIGHLY recommend getting a pump if you are breastfeeding.  Medela does have some other pumps but I just loved the double pump and the convenience of the bag.  Worth the money for sure!  Especially if it lasts us through all our kiddos!

The Essential Guide to Breastfeeding  SO helpful.  I read this before Kylie was born so I knew what I was getting myself in to.  Then her first few months of life I could turn to this if I had a question or just wanted to make sure something that came up was normal!  This gave me confidence since I didn't know a bunch of people to turn to for advice!

Medela Breast Milk Freezing I just got a few of these but they were nice to have for storage in the fridge or freezer.  BUT the bags were my favorite and I just got an off brand at Target!

Nipple Shield Okay so this is REALLY for if you have inverted nipples BUT if you have super sore nipples and you are crying and wanting to quit...try this before you give up.  I used it the entire time with my first daughter.  I NEVER had cracked, dry or sore nipples, EVER.  Plus it is more like a bottle so she never had problems going from breast to bottle.  The only down side is that if you begin using it you will always use it so you always have to have it near and clean for a feeding.  A little harder to put this on you and not flash anybody then just slip baby under.... :)  There are different sizes.     

Nursing Pads...YOU WILL NEED THEM These worked amazing and I never even knew they were there.  Not a single leak throughout my entire pregnancy.  

NUK Warm or Cool Breast Relief Packs At some point you will be sore or will get a minor infection....these were AMAZING!  I found mine at Target

Lanolin Some sort of cream...whatever brand you find!  Helped me in the shower because that was when it hurt the most for me!

Nursing Cover  I had several of them and most of them were too short, uncomfortable, or just didn't work well!  My favorite brand was Balboa because it was soft, long, easy to adjust, AND it had a pocket for pacis, rags, or whatever!

Bras  Go to the Motherhood store for help!  They were a really great help!  I bought one bra for the hospital and then after I had been feeding for a week I went and got a few more.  I recommend these three! 

Seamless Lift Up (My favorite!)

Wrap Nursing Sleep Bra

Skin Cancer...You're Not Invincible!

When I look back at pictures of myself as a child two things stand out to me.  I had the tannest little body from being outside all the time, and the whitest hair.  I remember when I would return from my summer time visits with my dad in Texas, my mom would always tell me I looked brown as a berry.  I didn’t think anything of it.  I just tanned easily as a kid, that was all.

As I started to get older this skin that tanned easily was awesome to have because tan is “in“.  I’m not really sure who has decided this but I remember laying in tanning beds for countless hours so that I could have the tan skin that America declares is beautiful.

In college I had a pool at my apartment so I laid out all the time there.  I also still went to the tanning salon because I couldn’t have any lines….I mean lines are just tacky!  I didn’t own a sunscreen over 15 SPF and I usually only rubbed on 4.  Can you really even count that as sun protection?

I haven’t laid in a tanning bed since college……and I wear 100 SPF sunscreen when I remember to now.  But lately a mole on my back has been getting bigger and bigger.  I know that I need to go see a dermatologist because it just isn’t normal looking anymore.  I have already decided that I am going to go after our baby is born.  Honestly, I am scared to go though.  What if all those years during my youth of burning and tanning my skin have caused me to have skin cancer?  Was it worth it?  Was all the time and money that I darkened my skin every summer worth potentially cutting my life short?

It is a proven fact that tanning bed users are almost 75% more likely to develop melanoma than nonusers.              Lately I feel like I have been surrounded by people who are REALLY tan.  All I can think about is which of them will regret tanning later in life?  Because we all think we are invincible but the scary truth is that we aren’t (I sure hope I am!).  People get skin cancer!  Listen to this girls story.  Then if you are a tanning take a minute to think about if it is REALLY worth it….and get your skin checked!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=aEjhgNkpoSk 

Skin Cancer Facts Found From Skin Cancer Foundation

(That should make you tremble and think twice)

• Melanoma is the most common form of cancer for young adults 25-29 years old and the second most common form of cancer for young people 15-29 years old.
• One person dies of melanoma every hour (every 62 minutes).
• One in five Americans will develop skin cancer in the course of a lifetime.
• Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States. More than 3.5 million skin cancers in over two million people are diagnosed annually.

How We Save Money

I love to write.  There is something to be said about putting pen to paper (or I guess in this day and age, fingers to keys) and letting your creativity explode upon the pages.  My husband has told me for years now that I should write a book.  It sounds like a fun concept but my lack of grammatical knowledge drives me crazy, so I know that a high school teacher could sit down and rip apart my work.  But regardless I love to write just the same.  So I have decided that I am going to start writing more about whatever pops into my head.

In the past month I have had a few people ask me for tips on saving money so what better place to start writing then about money haha!  

SO here are some things that we do to save money around our house:

1. Shop in bulk!  I am a huge fan of Sams!  I go about once a month to stock up on household things like diapers, wipes, toilet paper, paper towels, dog food, cleaning supplies, cereal, bread (just freeze what you know you won't eat right away), beer, and meat (again FREEZE it and thaw it out when you are ready to cook it!)  The total hurts when you are there but in the long run buying in bulk saves lots of money!  Plus you don't have to worry about buying all that stuff during your grocery trips.

2. Grocery Store.....plan out your meals for the week and then make a list of what you need.  I allow myself to get 5 things that aren't on the list but if I stick to the list I save TONS of money because I don't impulse buy.  Also only go once a week!  The only time I break that rule is for milk.  AND look at the prices....learn to like the off brands because it saves SO much money!  Make an exception for Jiffy!  I mean the jar makes a million mouth watering sandwiches anyway right? 

I use this to help me plan out my menu and to write out my list.

3. Garden:  The seeds for our garden cost us 15 dollars.  It will save me hundreds this summer in fruit and vegetable expenses!  

3 Raised Garden Beds and one little one for our corn right next to the Shed

4. Buy USED!  Don't be too prideful to shop craigslist, garage sales, Good Will, and other second hand stores.  I SERIOUSLY was one of those people who said I would NEVER shop at those places.  But then I became a stay at home mom living off of a one person salary.  I quickly realized that I had to change something or I would spend us out of house and home.  Now I buy brands (Gap, Old Navy, Ann Taylor, Banana Republic) that I never would have spent the money on back in the day at next to nothing prices.  You have to be willing to be patient if you are looking for something specific like a piece of furniture.  But if you are looking for clothes, toys, or decorations you can have a little fun with it.  

I found this on craigslist for $40, slapped some paint on it, and found knobs on sale at Hobby Lobby and Anthropology!  Still waiting to find the perfect chair! 

I have tubs by size for my daughter at the top of her closet.  When I find clothes that I like for her at a second hand store or garage sale I wash it and then throw it in the right size bin.  So, when she reaches that size she will have clothes that I payed next to nothing for.  Seriously like kids clothes at garage sales are 50 cents or a dollar...you cannot beat that!  Good will they are 2-4 dollars.  I love spending next to nothing on Old Navy, and Gap clothes.  It makes my heart soar!

5. Have garage sales to make extra money, or take your things to second hand stores that will buy the baby stuff/toys/clothes from you.

6. If you or your husband can build it or fix it yourselves then do it.  We have built our fence, laid our flagstone patio, constructed our outdoor bar, built our outdoor furniture, and by doing this we have saved thousands!  Just research how to do it and ask friends and neighbors for a little help if they have experience.  

Patio, Bar, Adirondack Chairs were all built by my husband!  (Chairs around table garage sale finds which I have spent a total of $31 dollars on so far....the cross hanging $1 at a garage sale)

7. We have one major credit card.  We pay for every single thing that we can possibly pay for on this card because we get a percent back.  We make hundreds every year off of spending money.  I LOVE it!  Pay the entire bill off every month too!  If you can't afford it then don't buy it!

8.  Homemade dinners take time but they save you tons of money.  Fast food and restaurants are so expensive.  Y'all spaghetti is easy to make, you can make tons of it, and it's super cheap.  For working moms....make meals you can freeze so you just have to pull them out to defrost while you are at work and then throw in the oven when you get home!  Umm...plus there is this amazing invention called the crock pot.  Dinner ready when you walk in the door working mommas! Oh, and LEARN TO LOVE leftovers!

Stuffed Zucchini and Broccoli Bacon Pasta YUM

9.  If you have dept make it a priority to pay it off!  You are throwing hard earned money out the window with that interest!  We have no dept except our house right now...and we are making bigger payments then we have to on it because we want to be done giving money away!

10. Set your bills up to be paperless, and to come out of your account automatically.  You get an e-mail before it is taken out of your account so you can check it, you don't have to waste time thinking about it, and you never have to worry about late fees!

11. If you aren't in the room turn the light off!  During the day if it is sunny use the sun as your light.  From the time we wake up in the morning until about 6:00 at night we don't turn a single light on and it saves us tons on our electric bill!  

12. Don't shop for Christmas just in November and December.  Find a place you can store your purchases, and shop throughout the year when you find things on sale.  Keep a list of the people you buy for and what you have bought them.  If you buy second hand toys for your own kids this method saves so much money it isn't even funny.  Last Christmas my daughter had a tree with lots of presents under it and I only spent 50 dollars on her!  Those same toys new would have been hundreds of dollars!  (This goes for your children's birthdays too!)  I just have an area in our attic I put my daughters "future" toys.  When it gets close to a holiday I go up there and see what I want to give her and how much more "shopping" I want to do!  

13. Find free and cheap entertainment for your kids.  Library, Park, Board Games, movies in the park or at your house, bike rides, fishing, hiking, lake swimming, camping in your backyard.  Be creative.  If you look online you can find tons of amazing ideas that cost nothing.  Look here for some creative ideas of inexpensive things to do with your kids: http://pinterest.com/jennifercweber/fun-with-the-kids/

Fire in the backyard with free wood!  Cost: Marshmallows, Chocolate, Graham Crackers

I few smaller things:
-My husband cuts his own hair and I quit dying mine.
-Take your dog or cat to a mobile clinic for vaccines instead of the vets
-Keep your cars for a long time but when it is time to buy another one buy it used!
-If you have a baby breast feed and then make your own baby food when it is time for solids.
- Don't walk into Bed Bath & Beyond, Kohls, or Michaels without a coupon....they send them all the time and you can print them online.
-Get on Victoria Secrets Mailing List...I probably get 12 free underwear coupons a year.  I just go in and get my free undies and LEAVE!  :)

I know there are tons more ways that we save, but those are the big things that we do to make sure that we are living within our means, leaving room to give, and to breath easy.