Anywhere you look, you can find a thorough list of "registry must-have's" that lists a thousand+ items you're told you just have to have. I am a big believer that the only things you really need for baby are diapers and boobs. However, there are certainly items out there that will make your life a heck of a lot easier. I originally was going to make a Top 10 list, but I could only come up with 8 things I felt were complete life changers for me. Most of these things were recommended to me by people who wanted to give their two cents, and I thought I wouldn't need them as much as I was told I would, but boy, was I mistaken! I would have gone crazy without these "essentials," so, without further ado, here's "My Top 10 List of Baby Items I'm Most Grateful for Except there's only 8 Because that's All I could Think Of:"
1) OxiClean
I never knew I could love a laundry product so much. Levi would seriously have NO clothes left if it wasn't for OxiClean. Between blowouts and spit ups and learning to feed himself, the crisp, bright, clean outfits I longed to put my sweet baby in would quickly turn into the yucky clothes left on the table after a garage sale that no one wanted if it wasn't for this stuff. I add it to every load of laundry of his, as well as soak stains in the laundry room sink for a few hours/overnight before washing it the next day. I decided early on that if I'm going to invest in clothes for my baby as well as possible future babies, I was going to care for them well and get my money's worth out of each item. OxiClean made that possible. Also, the blue and yellow tub makes for a great drum for Levi when he joins me in the laundry room :)
2) Rock 'N' Play
I will be the first to admit I thought this was overrated. It seemed silly to me that it was a "Rock" 'n' Play but yet it didn't rock on it's own. However, I came to LOVE this and highly recommend every mom to have one! Within a few weeks we had him sleeping in this next to my side of the bed! After a midnight feeding I'd lay him back down, and whenever he'd start to cry or squirm, I would just reach over and rock him back and forth. More often than not, it put him right back to sleep. Plus, it's super light weight and portable. It went everywhere with me: the living room, the kitchen, the bathroom when I showered, the back patio, vacations, friend's houses, etc. I got a little teary eyed the day he became too big for it. I bought ours used and cleaned it according to package directions. Everytime I go to the store I see new fabrics for them and they just keep getting cuter and cuter! My current fav if you're looking to buy or register for a new one can be found here :)
3) Excersaucer
And let me be clear: not just any excersaucer. Our original only had about 3 or 4 gadgets to entertain baby. After 10 minutes, Levi would be bored. We borrowed this Baby Einstein Excersaucer from a friend and we LOVE it. Starting from about 4 months, this has entertained Levi for hours upon hours (and has allowed us to clean, cook, pay bills, and I won't lie, even take a quick nap here and there in the process!) Three different height settings allow it to grow with baby, plus even when he's not in it, Levi pulls himself up next to it and plays as well. This has come with us to a variety of places once Levi outgrew the Rock 'N' Play. I can't say enough good things about it!
4) Receiving blankets
Perfect for swaddling in the beginning! However, in our house these have been used as burp clothes more often than not, due to sweet Mr. Burpy Levi. But now that that phase has passed (YAY!), we use these for security blankets when he naps! He loves rubbing them against his face before he falls asleep. For the first 6 months, we kept a few of these in every room at all times. I think we had about 12 total, but would have gladly accepted more! Plus, we got a lot of gender neutral blankets like these so that we can use again if we ever have a girl!
5) Hyland's Teething Tablets
Around 3 months old, Levi started getting extremely fussy, especially around nap time. We tried so many different things. We finally concluded that he must be teething. Let me tell you, these babies are LIFESAVERS! I call them magic pills! One or two under the tongue followed by his paci and a screaming, crazy, crying Levi will take a deep breath, close his eyes, and fall asleep! Even now at 8 months old with two teeth, we never leave the house without them. We keep a package in his diaper bag and another in his room at all times for those middle of the night emergencies. Great addition to any baby shower gift for a friend!
6) Noisemaker
There are so many different kinds, like a white noise machine or this Sleep Sheep Sound Machine. We've used a sound box that came with Levi's Pack N Play , as well as Leap Frog Scout's lullaby setting. People have different views on this, but in my opinion, the only thing that's important is that it's a consistent sound that's associated with sleep. This is especially nice for us on nights we put Levi to bed then go downstairs to play cards with friends. The noise reminds him that it's time to sleep and drowns out the laughter from the living room!
7) Johnny Jump Up
The Johnny Jump Up is currently the only reason I'm able to take a shower daily. We have it in between our bedroom and bathroom and Levi loves "walking" around in it, as well as bouncing up and down! I can usually shower, get dressed, and get my make up done before he gets a little restless. It helps to put the t.v. on the baby channel or turn on Baby Einstein on youtube for a bit. Gets some energy out and keeps him in one place for quite some time, which in and of itself is a miracle, these days! The only big bummer is that it hooks on crown molding in your house, and we only have molding around our doorways, leaving us pretty limited as to where we put it. Ideally I'd love to have it in our dining room or living room, but for now our room will have to do :)
8) Breast Pump Travel Adapter
Depending on the type of breast pump you use, you may have the option to purchase an additional adapter to use in your car, like this one. For $25, it has allowed me to pump in private wherever I am. The occasional times I've been away from Levi for the day and haven't wanted to haul a pump around with me, I could leave it in my car and stop in to use a couple of times a day. I used this more than I thought that I would and I can say with confidence that it was worth every penny and more.
I'm sure the older Levi gets, the more this list will grow! But for now, these 8 items have made the last 8 months go much smoother than I would have ever dreamed! And that's my two cents :)
This month we were snowed in for so long that your daddy and I watched you grow up before our eyes! Crawling, pulling yourself up, walking along furniture, climbing the stairs, giving kisses, and waving hi...all within a few weeks! You climb all over Sophie and laugh and laugh. You've mastered bending over, picking up a ball, and putting it in a bucket. It's ridiculous! I won't lie, I'm missing my cuddly, tiny, newborn baby boy these days. However, it brings so much joy to my heart watching you discover new and exciting things everyday! The worst part about this month was when we learned you had a double ear infection! Made for sleepless nights for all of us! Once you felt better, you were back to crawling everywhere and "cackling" all the time! Your first tooth is finally popping through, too! You are at such a fun age and life with you is such a delight. We are continuing to pray that God would do mighty works in your life! We love you, buddy!
- I look at mugshots of guys who have gotten into trouble and immediately think of and pray for their mothers.
- I spend a larger chunk of my day just trying to identify the bodily fluids on my clothes/in my hair.
- I have become a true homebody. Not that I don't enjoy getting fresh air as much as the next guy, but I'll go 2 or 3 days without leaving before I start to go stir-crazy. I just get wrapped up in the coziness of our home and enjoy just letting Levi play and have fun at home.
- The last one is quite the catch 22. As much as I enjoy spending time with the boys in our own four walls, I have to make a conscious effort to not get too complacent. I've become more aware that Satan can use comfort to keep us from doing what we should be doing. Jesus didn't die for me to be comfortable. He died so that I might know Him and live and love radically like He
did.
- Praying for God's will to be done becomes a whole lot more difficult when it involves surrendering your baby.
- When diaper changes go awry, sometimes I'll have to remind myself to wash my hands/arm/face. You become immune to this stuff over time...I have to make myself wash up and remind myself that it. really. is. quite. gross.
- I make funny faces and noises to make Levi laugh all day. The problem is that I find myself making the same goofy noises randomly in public when he's not around out of habit. So if you see a girl at the grocery smacking her lips or gurgling her spit, I promise she's not creepy.
- Same goes with hand clapping. I clap for him all day while saying, "Yay!" There have been multiple times I've been talking to an
adult and when they've said something positive, I catch myself clapping, about to cheer for them, as well!
- I learn life lessons every day. Like today, for instance. I was wiping Levi's face after lunch, and of course he screams like I'm wiping him with sandpaper. I thought to myself, "Why do kids hate having their faces wiped so much? It feels so much better to just be clean!" Then it dawned on me: our Heavenly Father must think that about us. He sees us living our lives covered in dirt and filth. He knows that the process to wipe us clean isn't what we desire, but He knows it's completely necessary and He knows the joy and freedom we'll experience when the process is over. By the time I had Levi out of the high chair, I was praising Jesus for the sacrifice He made to "wipe me clean" and found myself asking for Him to continue to clean up the messes in my heart. And that was just lunch time.
- From day one, I've wondered how anyone can only bathe their baby every
couple of days. Between getting milk tucked away in his neck rolls as a newborn, to having food splattered all over his hair as an 8 month old, and every poop in between, I can't go a day without giving Levi a bath. And if I do, the kid stinks! If you're an every other day baby bather, what's your secret?! Is my kid just that gross?
- I used to look at young families and think about how cute they were and wonder what they named their kids and thought about how much fun it would be to have kids of my own some day. Now I look at them and think, "Wonder how much sleep they got last night?"
- I wish I would have read more books about how to continue to grow closer to Jesus and your husband when baby comes and less about how often I should feed my baby. Not that the latter wasn't helpful, but a mom get's all of that figured out in the first couple of weeks. Developing better
relationships with the Lord and your man is much more challenging when your primary focus throughout the day is to keep a human being alive. It's a joy to find the balance but it's not always easy.
- I pray every day that I would never forget how soft Levi's cheeks are. That his sweet sighs and sheepish grins would be permanently engraved in my heart, and that the way he falls into my arms so perfectly as we sing our songs and say our bedtime prayers. The way his hand strokes my back as I nurse him and the way he suddenly stops and looks at me with a surprised look when he's finished as if he forgot I was even in the room. The way his eyes light up when I open his door in the morning and then the way he squints them shut so dramatically when I turn his bedroom lights on. All these things and more, I so desperately want to forever remember and treasure in my heart.
Seven Months
You are a ball of energy, Levi! You've started to crawl and try to pull yourself up onto anything and everything. When you're not getting into mischief, you're clapping your hands and trying to whistle...it's super cute! Your personality continues to come out more and more and we're learning how goofy and adventurous and bashfully charming you are! It was so fun experiencing Christmas through your eyes...you loved the wrapping paper and Christmas lights! Our love for you grows daily and we talk often about how blessed we are to, not just have a baby in our lives, but to have YOU in our lives. We're excited to see what God will do in your life and pray you will experience His love for you!
I'm pretty sure I'm forever indebted to my super talented sister in law. She makes ordinary things look amazing and she has the ability to capture so much love and life in a single photo. ...Don't just take my word for it. Check out her work for yourself, then head over HERE TO HER WEBSITE and have her take your pictures too :)
This year has been a year of excitement. So much change, so much adjustment, but so much joy! In the early winter months we settled into our new house where we watched my belly grow. In the spring we brought home a beautiful little man and had no idea what we were in for. Summer was perfectly lovely as we enjoyed Brett's time off of work and adjusting to life as three. With fall came football season and Levi and I spent our Saturdays cheering Brett's team on, all while I began to juggle life as a (part time) working mom. Now the winter months are working their cold way back in and even more change is coming our way.
This has been heavy on my heart for the past 8 years. Over time, some doors have opened and others have closed, but now it seems as though everything is perfectly aligned. After so much prayer and conversation, Brett and I have come to a final conclusion. It's time to start a new chapter. To step out in faith and mix things up. And now it's official: Fox Hair Studio is coming your way!
We are remodeling one wing of our house and turning it into a salon. It's quite the process, I've learned, but Brett and my parents have bent over backwards to see that this dream comes to life, and I owe it all to them. It's scary and sad, leaving my comfort zone and family at the barber shop. However, I'm very confident that this is the best decision for our family, and I'm delighted to serve my clients in the comfort of my own home!
So there you have it, the explanation as to why there's been a severe lack of blog posts the last couple of months. It might have something to do with a little guy trying to crawl and beginning to get into mischief too. I've been preoccupied :) Anyway, I'm excited to share pictures of the finished product as well as more about this new step in our lives! Talk about bringing the new year in with a bang! :)
Six Months
(Getting him to sit still was a JOKE!)
You are becoming quite the adventurous little man!! You will go to anyone, you love to "fly" on our legs or in our arms, and prefer to hang upside down. Your hair is really growing in now giving us lots of laughs over your morning bed head. You have eaten avocado, banana, pears, and your favorite thus far, green beans! You want to crawl so badly, but we are totally fine if you wait! As crazy as you are, you still have a very sweet side who loves hugs and kisses and you love to stroke Mama's face and hair. Your bashful smile is still our favorite, the way you turn your head as if you're about to blush. When surrounded by a pile of toys, you reach for a book every time. Sophie has made you smile and laugh more than any of us. We're so glad you love her! You are such a delight, Levi Jack and it's such a joy to know you! Our bedtime prayers continue to wrap up with a request that you would experience the love of Jesus one day and become His disciple! That's the greatest adventure of all! We love you, boy!!
