Our First Month: Most Loved Baby Items

Impossible to believe a month with our sweet girl has come and gone! It has been such a special month. We've already learned so much about our girl and wanted to share some items that both she (and we!) love! 

I wouldn't be lying if I said that these items helped us survive those first 30 days (and even still!) A handful of items are the same from our first week because we have loved them that much!

The best part is that all of these items are available through Prime, getting your way in just a day or two!

1 - Hands down, a true life saver.  This calms Sloane every single time.  We use it every night in her bassinet as well as her stroller walks to soothe any fussiness. Makes the best gift ever for a new mama! 

2 - These pacifiers are top recommended for breastfed babies. She's started with the newborn size and also has a glow in the dark set that makes it easy to find in the middle of the night :) 

3- I recommend all parents have these drops on hand for the first month or two! Our pediatrician recommended these as newborns systems are still very much developing and gas is incredibly common, causing fussiness. These drops work incredibly fast and help soothe an upset tummy. Get the two pack ;-) 

4 - Not so much for Sloane, but this manual pump has been great to use while Sloane feeds on the opposite side. I can easily pump enough for her evening bottle that Austin can give her, and even allowed for our first date night away last night. Plus, its so light and small -- much less overwhelming than an electric pump. 

5 - I could sing all of the praises for this swaddle. The material is so light and stretchy and perfect for nap swaddling.

6 - With temps in the 90's lately, this stroller fan has been the real MVP. 

7 - Converter gowns are what Sloane wears 99% of the time. Diaper changes are a breeze and they easily snap on and off. We love this brand because the material is so soft! 

8 - I wish I had known how many diapers and wipes you truly go through that first month. I love how gentle these wipes are on their soft skin and even double for me for those long days where I may not have had the chance to even wash my face. A win win!

Our First Week: Newborn Must Haves

Sloane is here! On May 2, 2019 at 3:18pm, we welcomed our baby girl, Virginia Sloane Smith. She is more than we could have ever imagined, and it's true what they say, you don't remember life before them! 

In a blink of an eye, the first week with her has come and gone. There are so many baby products out there, so I wanted to share what our most loved baby items were her very first week! 

1 - These converter gowns have been all Sloane has worn. They are truly the softest and make diaper changes a breeze. We've also found out that button-down options are much more newborn friendly than over the head. You'll thank me later ;-) 

2 - We love being able to move her easily from room to room for naps in this. Plus, the adorable gingham cover doesn't hurt! 

3 - They aren't kidding when they say how many diapers you'll go through. These have been great at holding everything in (yes, I went there) and also gentle on their newborn baby skin. They are free of chlorine bleach, fragrance, parabens and other chemicals you don't want on that newborn precious skin! I suggest getting a couple of boxes! 

4 - Not specifically for the baby, but I've sung the praises of this robe and I'll do it again. I wore this in the hospital and everyday since we've been home. It is worth every cent and then some. The material I mentioned in #1? Essentially the same for this robe, but in your size! 

5 - A plain burp cloth obviously works just fine too, but we've loved having personalized little burp cloths, too! 

6 - Phalate, Paraben and other chemicals are left out of this shampoo. We have the body wash and lotion, too! 

7 - Sloane sleeps with a hat on her head each night to keep warm. These are so soft and light on their little heads! 

8 - I ordered this swaddle the first night in the hospital. The stretchy, thin material is so soft and makes swaddling for naps a breeze. So much easier than many other blanket options we've tried. 

9 - This diaper caddy has been perfect in the living room to hold all of our diaper changing supplies as her nursery is upstairs to keep us from going up and down! 

Postpartum Summer Favorites

We are officially on Baby Watch in this house. We've had a couple of signs that the baby is quickly approaching, and now is just the fun time of waiting ;-) 

I, for one, cannot wait to say sayonara to the handful of pieces that have carried me through my pregnancy. There is a specific dress that even my husband said "I'm sure you're ready to throw that away" -- ha! 

With forecasts reaching near 90 this week, I am pulling together a few of my favorite pieces for the upcoming transition and the Summer season.

1 / 2 / 3 

4 / 5 / 6 

7

Recent Etsy Favorites

When searching for unique gifts for friends, family or even myself I always check Etsy first.

Sharing a few of my most recent favorites below!

1 / 2 / 3 / 4

5 / 6 / 7 / 8

32 Week Pregnancy Update

I feel like we've made it to the final stretch! Only 8 weeks to go, so wild! I've never wanted time to speed up and slow down so much at the same time. Any other new mamas feel that way?! I swear the nursery will be done at *some point*

Anyway, wanted to share a couple of updates with you since it's been awhile! 

We've made some strong progress on the nursery (aiming to do a full reveal at some point this Spring!) Though, I have learned that there really is no "attractive" way to mount a video baby monitor...sigh. I guess safety first?! ;-) 

We ordered the square arm comfort glider from Pottery Barn Kids and I absolutely love it. The white twill is entirely washable, so I could still have the light aesthetic I was hoping for. 

How sweet are these Cuddle & Kind dolls? Of course they will all be removed by the time the baby goes into the crib, but thought they were so sweet for the time being! 

As the belly has continued to grow, I'm still living in many of the pieces I highlighted in my previous post. This Ingrid & Isabel dress has been a great transition as Spring nears! 

I also had my first (definitely not the last!) prenatal massage. I'm just wondering what took me 30 weeks to finally do it! It was wonderful, especially given all of the aches that started as early as the first trimester! For you local ladies, I went to Lorena Luca in Cameron Village and it was great! 

I also had my very first baby shower! It meant the world to me to have family throw such a special shower and for everyone to spend a portion of their weekend celebrating Baby Smith! I already get emotional when I think about how loved this sweet baby is already! From the food, to the flowers and the company, it was perfect!

Up next, we aim to get carseats installed in both cars and the hospital bags packed! Ah, when did this get so real!? 

Maternity Must Haves

Sharing with ya'll some of my tried and true favorites that have carried me (quite literally) through this pregnancy.

Each one of these items I've gotten multiples in because they are just THAT good.

1 - If you get one thing in you pregnancy, let it be these compression tank tops. Yes, they are a bit on the pricey side but I swear you'll thank me later. They are tight compression tops that provide back and belly support. My lower back started to kill me as early as my first trimester and after a friend recommended these, I bought in every color they had. Seriously! The best.

2 - Thankfully, I haven't gotten stretch marks and want to thank this dry oil! It is not just for preggos, but it such a wonderful treat after a long hot shower. I rub all over, not just my belly! 

3 - Because, you reach a point in your pregnancy where anything that slides on your foot is a lot easier ;-) I adore these slides and they are under $30!  

4 - Size up in these nursing bras so that they work for you postpartum too! I can't do anything with an underwire and these saved me! 

5 - I've raved about this lotion pre-pregnancy as well, but having extra dry skin during pregnancy, it has been a life saver! It is non-greasy, unscented and keeps you moisturized all day long!

6 - Buy 4 pairs of these leggings. Seriously. At first, I thought the over the belly style would make me feel constricted, but I must wear them 4x a week. 

7 - This dress is awesome for support and is super flattering! I've worn with sweaters, jean jackets or alone! The ruching hits in all of the right places and comes in lots of colors!

8 - I got 3 of each of these tops! In white, gray and black! They are long waisted, stretchy and wear really well after numerous washes. Just ask my husband, I think I rotate these every other day.

Baby Registry Favorites

Ten weeks to go! When did that happen?! Some days this pregnancy feels like its been a year and others it has really flown by! 

I've gotten a lot of requests of some of our favorite items we've received thus far for Baby Smith. While we haven't used these just yet, I did want to share some of our favorite gender neutral registry items (as well as a few items we've gotten along the way!) with ya'll! 

1 / Bunny - We received one of these as a gift and they are just the softest! The entire brand makes adorable soft little animals that are the perfect gift for an expectant mama to be or for yourself!

2 / Cross-body onesies - We got a couple of packs of these, because if there is one thing I have heard it is that you go through A LOT of outfits per day. With the baby coming in late Spring, I get the feeling we'll live in little onesies like these, especially down at the beach. These are super thick (without being too hot) and much better quality than many other onesies you'll come across. 

3 / Bath Baby Bundle - My mama brain has already started to go crazy analyzing different ingredients in various baby bath products. With such sensitive new skin, I want to make sure we are utilizing some of the purest products. These are without Parabens, Phthalates and many other ingredients we don't want on our sweet babies. 

4  / Doc-a-Tot - Chances are, you've heard of this! All of my mama friends swear by it, especially if you begin in a bassinet when they are newborn to keep all snug and cozy!

5 / Basket - We have this basket in other sizes in the house and LOVE them. The small size is perfect for storing sweet stuffed animals and toys in the nursery! 

6 / Newborn mittens - This brand makes the softest outfits and these mittens are no exception! Perfect to throw in your little ones hospital bag.

7 / Night light & Sound Machine - I've heard to raise a child you need two things: 1) diapers and 2) a sound machine. This one includes a nightlight as well as an app that you can control from your phone! The reviews are awesome, we can't wait to try it. 

8 / Swaddles - These wrap the baby super tight and are husband proof (ha!) I get the feeling that traditional swaddling may be a bit tough for us (especially at a 3am diaper change) and love how these easily velcro.

9 / Bouncer - Love the soft beige and will be perfect for relaxing around the house

10 / Blankets - Love these colors (for either a boy or a girl!) and are perfect for stroller walks or home lounging

11 / Mama Wrap - Love the versatile soft beige and the idea of having the baby super close to me while getting things done around the house or out and about with friends. This line makes super stretchy wraps that are easy (and foolproof!) to put on.